Salty Ocean Air
by codykps203
Summary: My life had put me through a bunch of problems and I came home to deal with them. What I didn't expect to happen was to be thrown into the supernatural world. However, I knew two things. I would survive no matter what. That was just who I was. Two, I had found a home when home never felt like home and for that I was grateful.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I do not own Twilight.

Authors Note: So here is the thing. I am having a very hard time figuring out how I want to write this story. I've been thinking for a while Jessica. So it might be that it is all I've got. So I'm exploring here. I had a story up but nobody reviewed and I've been thinking it sucked. So I took it down to revise it a bit. Please, I beg you if you read through this than review. Tell me: did it suck, did you like it, and did you hate it. Just say something, anything. I apologize for spelling and grammar mistakes.

**Salty Ocean Air**

Chapter One

It had been six years since I set foot back in Forks, Washington. It had left a bitter taste in my mouth. So I did the only thing I could think of at the time. I packed a bag and left before anyone noticed. There was nothing there for me anymore. No romance, family, or friends. There was no happy ending for me.

No, Jessica Stanley didn't get happy endings. There was no light at the end of the tunnel; just a hell of a lot of darkness.

No I left for good and never returned. Had I thought about it? Yeah, but then the thought of returning to nothing filled my mind. No, I had no friends to call or visit and to be honest that burned and reopened the wound.

I had never had much of a life there anyway. I strived to be popular and beautiful, but it was never enough. I didn't get the guy or prom queen. Maybe it was superficial, but it had mattered to me at the time.

Those weren't the reasons I had left.

No, there were too many painful memories of him and family. They all left me in completely different ways. One did it voluntary and the other involuntary. It didn't make either one hurt any less.

Mike had completely made his choice. He wanted the one person that was never available to him and probably never would have been. I was foolish to think he could ever like me more than Bella. He loved her since he set eyes on her. I was foolish to think that my average looks could impress him compared to her fairy tale ones.

She had Skin white as snow, Hair a wavy deep brown with a reddish tint to it in the sun, Lips with a natural reddish tint, and deep chocolate brown eyes. She had a rather thin frame and wanted nothing to do with the social life of Forks High School. She was rather clumsy, so the damsel in distress act worked for her.

I was not the princess looking type, even though I wanted to be one. I had regular brown hair that was rather flat. All I knew was that I didn't have her natural beauty. It stung like a mother fucker.

Where Bella was delicate I wasn't so much. I had muscular body from the amount of running I did because volleyball practices and because of recreation. I also did a number of other sports. I didn't look delicate. I didn't have the appeal.

I had left home to a sullen hopeful little girl looking for anything to give me peace of mind. Now I come back a failure with a realistic approach to the world. I had thought I never belonged to Forks' especially after I had left. Now, I see I was never really up to take on the world by myself. No it just chewed me up and spit me out.

I had learned a few things though. I could walk away from any situation, maybe a little banged up but still walking. I had learned to survive.

And now I was going to the last place I had ever wanted to return.

XXXXXXXX

The air was unusually dry for a day in the Olympic Peninsula of northwest Washington State. Forks was a small town that no one could pin point under the near-constant overcast. It rained continuously on this town more than any other place in America. It was this town my mother escaped the ridiculously hot days of Dallas, Texas and came to the ridiculously cold days of Forks with me in tow.

I have a sneaky suspicion she had no concept of ordinary weather.

I was now driving towards this small town where I had felt I had never belonged, and after she showed up, loathed.

Since it was such a dry day I had the cover for my Jeep Wrangler down so the wind would be blowing in my hair. Soon there wouldn't be enough days like this. I should enjoy it while it last. So I turned up Led Zeppelin's Stairway to Heaven.

I looked all around me as nothing but green whizzed by me. The scenery had always been beautiful. The trees were tall and even the brown trunks had been covered by moss and small bushes.

Eventually I had passed the town sign. The town hadn't changed much at all. The main street side walk had been fixed, with not so many cracks in it. The gas station was the first thing you passed with a fresh coat of paint on it bricks. Right across the street was the Liquor store, which would be getting a couple visits from me, and was appropriately next to it was the bank. The small public library was stationed right next to the elementary school. The lodge had looked a bit wearily than the last time she went there, but as busy as ever. The Thriftway was tucked into the corner where people were walking in and out. There were a number of other stores tucked in between the major ones. Of course Mike's parents store, although now I would imagine it was his, Olympic outfitters. And then there was the hospital. The only thing that was added was a small movie theater that was playing two movies that had already been in theaters for a while.

There was another gas station right before my turn.

I took a turn toward a dirt road. I followed the path and came towards several log cabins. This was where I would be staying for my stay until I found something more permanent. I parked my Jeep in front of the main cabin. I got out and walked straight in.

I pulled my sunglasses and looked around the medium sized building. To my right there was an arch that led to a small living room where kids were watching Disney. I was currently in the receptionist part. I looked down at the women. She had bright red hair, had a medium frame, and looking very professional. She was wearing a white button down blouse and black dress pants. She was currently looking at her computer through her black rimmed glasses. Behind her were two offices with men working in them.

I pulled my sunglasses of my head and placed them on my head.

"Hello, my name is Jessica Stanley. I called about renting a cabin." The women looked up with a huge smile on her face.

"Yeah, I know. I don't suppose you remember me. I was a freshman when you were a junior. Tammie is my name." I did slightly remember her. She had joined the cheerleader team and had a boyfriend of the junior varsity team.

"Yeah sorta. So, about the cabin." I placed both hands on the desk.

"Umm… Yeah here you go. You're all set. You already paid the down payment and everything. So, you're good to go. Number four. It's really pretty." I nodded my head and walked out.

When I parked in front of the place I would be staying at for who knows how long I dissected it. It was a small, one bedroom, and one story log cabin of light color wood.

It only took one trip to get everything I had collected over six years: Some clothes, a cell phone, my wallet, a laptop, and a bracelet that got passed down to me after the funeral.

I walked up the two steps to the front porch where there was a wooden rocking chair and wooden bench. When I walked in I was immediately greeted with a living room. I placed my bag on the brown leather couch. The living room was small: beside the couch, there were two wooden chairs, a small wooden coffee table, and a television. There were wooden floors throughout the place, but the living room had a green medium sized rug that was under the coffee table.

The kitchen was rather small too and was connected to the dining room. There was a slid door that led to the back porch, which had an amazing view of the wide river that led to the ocean.

The bedroom was small too but it had its own private bathroom that had a shower/bathtub. The bed frame was made out of wood too. Next to the bed were an end table and a lamp.

There was another bathroom that just consisted of a toilet and sink.

The place was simple beautiful and me.

I put myself stuff in the dresser and walked into the kitchen area. There were no dished, glassed, silverware, and most importantly no wine liquor.

I got in the jeep and turned on the radio. The Who's Behind Blue eyes started playing; the irony didn't humor me. I headed to the Thriftway.

The supermarket was busy with people getting the things they accidently forgot when preparing dinner. I went through aisle and aisle picking things here and there. I had decided on just a TV dinner tonight, but prepared for other meals. When I was picking a cereal I heard a voice behind me.

"Jessica", it was a soft whisper. When I turned around there was Angela Weber looking me up and down. She took a few unsure steps towards me until she wrapped her arms around me. Hugging her made me realized how much taller I was no than high school.

Angela stood at six feet and had light brown hair, a pale skin tone, and brown eyes (Hazel if you asked me). In high school she was a foot taller than me, but I had grown over the years and now stood at five feet ten inches.

She let go of me but held me at an arm's length away and looked me over again.

"God, you've changed so much."

"Yeah, you stayed the same though." I pulled out of her grip and threw the Special K cereal into my cart. I looked back over at her and saw she was still staring at me.

"You're different." Then she gave me a huge smile. "I'm so happy that you're here. When did you get in?"

"Today actually."

"Wow, well the old gang is getting together. Ben, Mike, Eric, Tyler, and Lauren are all coming over to mine and Ben's house to have a barbecue. Oh I got married to Ben. God we've gotta catch up. Here's my phone number." She took out a note pad from her pursue and wrote down her phone number and handed it to me. "Call me anytime." I waved and nodded to her as she went on her way.

I finished my shopping and went up to pay. The cashier was a teenage boy with blonde hair and baby blue eyes.

"Hello ma'am. How are you doing today?" I smiled at him.

"Good and you?" He nodded at me and finished checking me out. I grabbed my bags and put them in the jeep.

As I drove back to the cabin I saw my old house. The pretty two story brick building with blue shutters and porch. It looked like a happy family moved in because there was a silver mini van parked out front.

When I got to the cabin, I unloaded all the groceries, putting them in a place I could easily find them when it was time to use them. I placed the TV dinner in the microwave and went to set up my computer on the dining room table. I opened my email and saw that it was all just spam.

When my dinner was done I scarfed it and turned on the television. I just stared at it and then looked up at the time. It was till a pretty decent day, no rain as of yet and it was only six o'clock. I got up and jumped into my jeep and took a ride. I had no clue where I was going but I was there before I knew it.

First Beach. It was pretty enough with it rocky sands and drift wood towards the edge of the ocean. To me an Ocean was an Ocean, I loved them all. And this one brought me just as much pleasure as any of the others I had been too. It had the lovely smell of salty ocean air I was often told I smelt like. As far as I knew the ocean was the only home I truly knew.

I ripped my shoes of and ran towards the edge of the ocean. It didn't matter if it was seventy degrees today, by the ocean if felt ten degrees cooler and the ocean was even colder. I hissed as my feet stepped into the ocean.

My outfit of choice didn't suit well for this ocean air. I was currently in shorts and a thin white t-shirt.

"Hey isn't that outfit a little inappropriate for the weather, miss." Shivers went down my spine and I become paralyzed from the shock of the voice. It couldn't be. I was in town for a couple of hours…I looked up and there he was.

He broke my heart multiple times throughout high school and for the final time after the wedding.

"Hey Mike." I said monotone. I stood up straight and watched him waiting for the recognition in his pale blue eyes.

As he looked me over I silently wondered if I had completely healed. The teenage girl part of me wanted him to approve my new look. I wanted him to wrap his arms around me and have a reunion. The realistic part of me just waited.

He had stayed the same but there were slight differences. No longer did he carry his baby face, instead his face had the sharp angles of a man. He had cut his blonde hair and stood at five eleven, an inch above me. He was no longer the boy I fell in love with, but now a full grown man.

"Jess…Jess is that you?" He took a shaky step toward me. I took a deep breath as he came closer.

"Yeah it's me." I turned back towards the ocean.

"Jess… Where… You never… How long are you back for?" I turned back around.

"Yeah I'm back. For how long? I have no clue." I saw his eyes light up at the prospect of me staying.

He continued to look at me.

"You've changed." I just continued to stare at him. I held are staring, I wasn't going to give way to him like I use to. He finally blinked and shied away.

"Wow…I can't believe it's really you. I thought you left for the big city and were never coming back. Look at you even tattoos." I had a sleeve done over the time I was gone.

As I stood staring at him I remembered how long it took for me to get over him. I spent two years just sticking my head in books and studying. When I wasn't studying I would lie awake listening to music, wondering when it wouldn't hurt anymore; when the world would turn right side up again.

When I did get over it I finally realized how much I was missing. It was a glorious two years until life was turned upside down again.

"God wait till everyone…We are all having a barbeque here tonight. Wow…"

"Yeah I saw Angie. She told me. You guys still hang out."

"Yeah, I married Lauren." I bit back a wince, "and well some of us have kids now."

"That's great. No Bella?" I looked up at him. He slightly winced at her name. There was still that look of want and lust for the girl he fell in love with. I had lost to a girl that never would have been his anyway. How pathetic was that for both of us.

"No, she hasn't even kept in contact with us, Left with the Cullens and never came back. Chief tells everyone she's good." I noticed the jealousy in his voice at the mention of her keeping contact with her father.

"Well he's her father. Good for you about marrying Lauren."

"Yeah," his eyes brightened at the mention of Lauren. "It's been great. I love her so much; we are having a kid since the store is doing amazing."

I hadn't realized that there was still a knife plunged into my gut. It twisted at the mention of them having a kid. I loved Mike so much and it seems I was never good enough for him. He went after the women in my life that was held on a pedestal by everyone: Lauren and Bella.

Lauren had been one hell of a mean girl in high school. I had been one of her lackeys that followed her around and wished her popularity and prettiness would rub off of me. Of course being her friend meant enduring the constant insults she would throw at me. I remember her beautiful platinum blonder hair and green eyes. She didn't look like every other girl in school. She had the same soft slender body that Bella had.

"Lauren will probably be excited to have you here. She misses her shopping buddy. Always telling me how she wished you were around. She'll probably ask you to be the god mother of her child. So will you?"

He had said I changed but I don't think it has processed in his brain. The girl he knew would have jumped at any chance to be in his life, but I wasn't that girl.

I turned toward him and narrowed my eyes at him.

"I'm not the same anymore." I said clearly, "I'm not the girl who would jump when you and Lauren said too. I don't know how long I'm back for. Maybe long enough to be here for your child's christening, but I sure as hell won't be its godmother." He hung his head in shame.

"Well then will you at least come?"

"Yeah maybe."

"You've changed so much. You are taller, stronger, and hell you look dangerous. I wasn't sure it was you at first."

"You and Angie sure haven't."

"Well we are happy. She married Ben you know. They have two kids and another one on the way. She's only two months." He looked me over again, "Where have you been all this time? Why are you back now? Not that I'm not happy you're here, but what took you so long?" He had a huge smile on his face.

"Needed a change of scenery." I shrugged my shoulders. Mike never got that people needed space and time, so I told him bull shit. He'd never know the difference. "How's the store?"

He's eyes brightened at this question.

"Well I went to school for business and my folks had me work there for a while. When they retired I inherited. We opened up a couple of other's. Some big names in gear have been brought in and now it's a chain. Making lots of money." He puffed out his chest.

"Bet Lauren likes that." She had always wanted to end up with a wealthy man.

"Yeah considers herself my trophy wife. So where are you staying at?"

"At the log cabins. Rented one."

"Wow those are sure nice. Lauren and I are living in Mr. and Mrs. Andersons old house. You remember the bright yellow one with the green shutters." Of course I remembered I had wanted that house for us, where we would have pale blue eyed kids running around in the back yard. Now that was their dream; I felt the knife twist again.

"You coming to the barbeque, it begins at eight."

"I'll see. Just wanted to get to the ocean air."

"Well hopefully I'll see you around." I nodded my head and walked back to the jeep. Before I go in I heard a bunch of booming laughter.

When I looked over to the spot I heard the sound I saw a bunch of La Push residents running around and having fun. The men were all over six feet tall and were in general huge. I ran my hands through my hair and jumped into my jeep.

It had gotten dark while I was talking to Mike. When I headed in I placed a phone call to my former office.

"Hello Jessica. I was wondering when you would call."

"Hey Captain I was just wondering if you got the transfer to go through?" I heard his husky laughter on the other end.

"I think this is a huge mistake Stanley. A small town police department. Come back to Miami, I know what happened affected you, but we love you. People make mistakes."

"Sorry Captain. I'm good here." I stepped on the back porch and watched the children from the other cabins playing in the water.

"Alright then. The Chief said you were a friend of his daughters in high school. Told him great things about you and he could use the extra help. You start next week. He said he needs his assistant to file your paper work and order your stuff." I sighed and ran my hands through my hair.

"Thanks Captain."

"Hey, Call once in a while." His voice got very serious. His daughter died in a tragic car accident a couple years back, the minute I walked into his police academy he took to me. We formed a father-daughter bond, and because of that bond we had to get different partners; we argued too much.

After the call I sat on the chair that was on the back porch when a little girl came over to my cabin.

"Hello ma'am. Momma said to invite you over." She was a pretty little thing. She was African American and was wearing a purple dress with crocks on. Her hair was in braids and she had a smore in her hand.

"Yeah sure." He smile got even bigger and then she jumped off my porch and waved for me to follow her. I walked to the back of her cabin and noticed she had a two story one.

"These are my parents' ma'am." And then she ran over to where her brother who was knee deep in the river.

"Hello" I smiled at the couple. There were sitting in folded clue chairs. The women had light brown skin and dark brown hair that was pulled into a pony tail. She had Sharpe features and a runner's body and looked to be in her late twenties.

"Saw you moving in today. Thought you could use some company. Grab a beer." She smiled at me and pointed to the cooler.

"Gladly." I smiled back when she laughed at me.

"A women after my own heart." The husband laughed. He had the same features as his wife but taller and darker.

"Sorry to be rude but my names tie and this here is Brandon."

"Yeah we moved here six months ago. We don't know that many people." Brandon told me.

"Well I use to live here. Decided to move back after some complications in Miami."

"Oh yeah, so what do you do." Tie asked me and Brandon looked over at me curiously.

"Well I am a cop. I'll be working as a cop next week, but right now I'm not doing anything."

"A cop hey. I'm a doctor. I'm working at the hospital in forks." Brandon said to me.

"And I'm JUST a nurse." Tie told me, but was looking pointedly at her husband. It made me laugh, must be an argument they've had many times.

"I never said you were just a nurse honey. You're not just a nurse. You're a nurse and you do a lot more than I do." I laughed at him sucking up to his wife.

"Yeah, yeah." She shook her head.

"She's not just a nurse." He looked at me and said. "So what made you want to be a cop?"

"I don't know. I took a criminal justice intro class in college and fell in love with the subject. What made you guys go into the medical field?"

"Well I wanted to be a nurse like my grandmother was. Actually went into the army as a nurse."

"Wow." My eyes widened. My respect for her grew. Being a nurse was tough, but being a nurse in the army.

"I was inspired by my high school teacher to make something of myself. So I become a doctor."

"So any family here or anything?" I shook my head.

"Nah all died six years back." Their heads nodded.

"Yeah we couldn't exactly deal with the city life anymore." Tie told me.

"Yeah no place to raise kids." Brandon agreed.

I sat by the fire as Brandon and Tie went back and forth about certain subjects. They were fun and nice people to be around. I hadn't had that in a while.

Around eleven o'clock I headed toward my jeep and put the hood back on. I took a shower and then got ready for bed. After putting on my shorts and tank top, I put my hair in a bun and walked around with a tooth brush in my mouth. When I heard a knock at the door I jumped in surprise.

When I opened it there was a rather pretty Native American women standing at the door. She had her dark brown wavy hair down to her shoulder. Her smile was breath taking and she was currently holding a loaf of bread.

"Hello, my names Kim and I live right next door with my husband Jared." She handed me the bread, "I know it's late but I'm a nurse at the hospital with Tie. I just really wanted to meet you." I let her in.

"Wow yours is small but cute. Jared and I move after I graduated. It's close enough to the reservation, but close enough to the hospital."

"Well…have a seat. I'll cut the bread and get us some milk." I liked her already; she had a bubbly personality and was rather nice. It didn't bother me that she came late because I was a night owl anyway. Also, sleep hadn't come easy to me, nightmares loved to haunt my dreams.

I handed her a glass of milk and a piece of bread.

"Again sorry I came over so late, just I was so excited to meet you." I waved her off.

"Your fine," I took a bite of the piece I cut. It was banana nut bread; it was my favorite. "I like you already. You just made me banana nut bread." I smiled at her as I licked my fingers.

"So, it's good?"

"Way good."

"I'm happy about that. I was worried I wasn't a good cook. My husband has to like my cooking." She slightly laughed at me. I could tell it was slightly something more to the comment, but I ignored it.

"So how old are you?" I asked her.

"I'm twenty two."

"Twenty-four."

"What do you do?" For what every reason I could tell she was slightly lonely. Like she could use a friend and to be honest I could use a friend myself.

"I'm a cop."

"I'll be working at the Forks Police department." She smiled.

"You'll be the only girl officer, but my friend Paul and Layla work there. Layla is the receptionist there."

"Wow that's awesome. I was a little nervous about the other officers, but I was friends with the chief's daughter in high school." He smile dropped slightly and turned nervous.

"Bella Cullen?" She asked me.

"Does he have another daughter?" I asked with a sarcasm dripping from my voice, but with a playful edge.

"Ummm… No but she used to be friends with my friend." She all of a sudden became very interested in her food.

"Well we weren't that close in high school, so I wouldn't call her my friend. But hey, you should come over whenever you want. I could use a friend." I tried to be reassuring. Her smile got big again.

"Yeah that would be great. I could use one too." She got up and slapped her thighs. "Well I should get home. Jared should be there."

We exchanged phone numbers and I led her to the door and told her good night. I cleaned up the dishes and headed to bed.

As soon as I tucked into bed the rain hit the windows with a vengeance.

Welcome to Forks.


	2. Chapter 2

Authors Note: So I hope you still like where I am going with this. I've been really busy so I miss the deadline yesterday. Sorry about that guys. I'll try and get a chapter up every week. Anyway I love that you guys are reviewing it, please keep it up. It keeps me going to know that people like it. I warn you if there arn't more reviews I might cry (nah I'm not the crying type), but please keep it up.

Chapter Two

I woke up at eleven o'clock more tired than when I went to bed. The twisting and turning of my body was probably the source. The nightmares would never leave me just because I was far away from the source. The strange thing was that in the dream there was a person who gave me the feeling of safety or comfort.

I lifted my upper body so I could rest my back against the head board. I let out a breath of air and ran my hands through my hair. What was I going to do? It was a Friday and work began on Monday. I had a weekend before I would go to my easy job as a Forks police officer.

I heard a knock at the door. Who could that be?

I jumped up from the bed and got my leg twisted in the blanket and fell on the floor.

"God dammit!" I screamed. I heard the front door open and high heels clinking on the hard wood floor.

"Jessica are you okay?" It was her. She stepped into my view before I could even contemplate what to say to her.

She was even more beautiful than she was in high school. Her blonde hair was cut just below her shoulders and was in a cute 50's house wife do. She even had a purple dress to match. I swear as she stood in the door the light behind her gave her an angel glow. Luckily she didn't have white gloves.

"Sorry to barge in like this. Mike told me you were back and I just had to see you," Is what came out of her red lips.

As I lay on the floor looking up at her all I could think about was how things never changed. I was looking up at her while she looked down on me. Maybe coming to forks wasn't such a good idea.

"Yeah well, that's nice." I picked myself off the floor. Maybe it was petty but I felt better when I saw that I was taller than her.

"You want to go get…" I heard another knock on the door. I ran my hands through my hair. Would I be left alone for a minute? Gossip mill in Forks hasn't slowed down a bit.

"Hey Jessie, you want to get some lunch?" I saw Kim come up behind Lauren.

"Oh yeah like I promised you we would. Sorry, but I've got plans already." I told Lauren. She looked slightly out of place when I said this.

"Well yeah. I'll just go then." She waved good bye and was out the door. I smiled and ran to Kim and wrapped my arms around her in a bear crushing hug.

"I see I just saved you." She pointed at the door. I pulled away from her.

"Thank you. Let me get dressed then we will go." I pulled out a pair of jeans and a gray sweat shirt. I pulled on my boots tucking my jeans into them and walked out the door with Kim in tow.

"So who was that girl?" I heard Kim ask me as we piled into my Jeep.

"She was my warden and/or slave driver in high school." I turned to her and gave her a huge smile before buckling my seat belt.

I put the jeep in reverse and pulled out of the drive and sped down the road back to civilization.

"So where do you have in mind?" I turned on my Iphone and hooked it up to the radio. Immediately The Black Keys started to play.

"I was thinking maybe we could go to Port Angles and spend the day there. I mean I'm not on call and I'm pretty bored." I turned to her and saw her with a sad smile on her face.

"You seem nice. Why don't you have any friends?"

"I do have friends. They all live on the reservation and I stay in Forks for my job. I don't get to see them a lot."

"It's not that far away." I turned toward her and noticed she was slightly fidgeting. "I'll let it go."

"No, it's okay. They are just all mad at me for moving right now. I'm sure they will get over it soon." She gained more confidence in her words. She was telling the truth as far as I was concerned.

"Well you've got me. Again I'll need a friend." I saw her smile again.

"Yeah we will have some fun. Jared is at a bar in Port Angles with some of the guys from La Push. Can we head there first and then do our girl thing." I nodded. "Okay the name is Lonely Boys." She proceeded to give me directions to the bar.

About forty five minutes of driving and only seeing rain and green we finally reached the bar. It was built out of wood and brick. There was a black sign with white letters that said Lonely Boys. There were motorcycles and muscle cars that littered the parking lot. Some people in their leathers were smoking outside.

"Well this is it." Kim looked slightly nervous. I looked in her line of direction and saw several people with guns.

I took my grey sweat shirt off. I then reached behind my seat and pulled out my dual pistols. I put them in my holsters before swinging it over my shoulder and attaching it to my abdominal. Kim looked over at me with a strange face, but still looked slightly relieved. Kim looked kind of skittish. I put on my leather jacket, so it would hide my guns.

I turned off the car and got out. I made sure I locked it and walked side by side with Kim inside. When we went inside the smell of alcoholic and cigars hit my senses. I looked around and noticed several people with their guns in holsters.

"Kim!" I heard a big booming voice to my right. When I looked over I saw several huge Native American men walk our way. "What are you doing here?" He put her down and looked over at me and put his hand out. I took it. "Jared by the way. You're our new neighbor…"

"Jessica." I took his hand in mine. I immediately pulled back at the surprise in the temperature difference. He was sweltering hot.

"Sorry about the heat." I waved my hand at a sign that it was okay. Another man walked up to us that looked similar to Jared. They must be brothers.

"You're the new officer at the Police Department. That means you'll be working with me." He smiled at me, "I'm Paul and this is Embry, Brady, and Colin." He pointed to the respective people who were standing by a pool table.

"Well we were coming here so I told Jessica we should stop by here before we go off and do our thing." I heard Kim say. I looked around and saw that no one was really hiding their guns. It was a warning, "don't fuck with us" but everyone seemed to be in a friendly environment.

"Stay for a bit." I heard Jared plea. I pulled my Jacket off and threw it on a chair. I heard everyone take in a breath as they probably noticed the guns. I smirked and took the stick from Colin and looked at the table. I leaned over it.

"Stripes or solids and whose team am I on?" I looked around while still leaning over the table. Paul stepped forward.

"Colored and you're on my team." I smirked at him and looked at the group.

"Prepare to be amazed." Right before I sunk in the one ball into the middle right pocket.

After a couple of beers later and three games won by me and Paul, the guys immediately took to me.

"You are awesome." Brady came up to me as I did a trick shot getting the eight ball in the pocket I called thus winning Paul and I another game.

"Man how do you get that accuracy?" I looked up at Embry and smirked.

"Something my cousin taught me before my father left me and with them in tow." I saw him nod.

"Well if your accuracy is that good with a gun then I'll ask Charlie for you as a partner. He was going to change partners around…" I smiled at Paul. He stood at six four and looked slightly grumpy when he wasn't smiling.

I could tell Paul had a rough up bringing but worked hard to get where he was now. Those were the types of people I loved having around. They took nothing for granted and knew how to crawl on their hands and feet to get where they need to be. Paul and I would just be good partners on the pool table but also in our line of work. I could tell when he got close to someone he fought tooth and nail for them. I was that type of person too.

Hopefully it would never have to come to that.

"So why did you come back to Washington?" I heard Brady ask me. I shrugged my shoulders.

"Not much excitement in a small town and needed a change of scenery." I handed the pool stick to Colin.

"You ready to go Kim?" I turned to her as she was wrapped up in Jared's embrace. The way they looked at each other was like no one else was in the world. Like they were amazed to have each other and the only thing that kept them to this earth was each other and be damned with everyone else.

"Don't worry about them. They are always like that." I heard Embry whisper in my ear.

"Are they newlyweds?" I turned to Embry and came face to face with him.

"No, they've been married for a while. That's just how it's always been for them." He looked over at them and then back at me, "there's a get together tonight at La Push. Kim thinks everyone is mad at her for moving, but we're not upset. You should bring her." He wrote directions on a napkin and handed it to me.

"Yeah, if we love you as much as we do, so will the others." Paul slapped me on the back and winked at me.

"Yeah I'll come by." I smiled at them and went to pat Kim on the shoulder. "Ready to go?"

She nodded and followed me out. We piled into my jeep again but this time Kim was driving. We drove straight to the mall, which was a good thing since I barely had in clothes or jackets for the bitter winters.

Shopping wasn't what it used to be like when I was younger. Clothes were my everything. Having the right clothes meant popularity and getting Mike's attention. Wearing a pink frilly dress for Prom would surely get me Prom Queen, but that's not the case anymore. Now I stuck to jeans, boots, and leather jackets.

This shopping trip I bought several dresses, at Kim's insisting. I wasn't completely opposed. You shouldn't let yourself get unprepared for something.

As I was shifting through more dresses I heard Kim's soft voice behind me.

"You should try this one on. It's the only one they have." I looked behind me and saw a simple yet elegant white dress. It was something you could wear just to spend the day at the beach in.

I went to try it on and immediately loved the feel of the material; it was so soft. It was a halter top. The dress was something I didn't have to wear with high heels; I could wear it with keds, barefoot, or high heels if I really wanted.

"Yeah I'm gonna buy it." The dress being the last purchase I would make during the day we headed home.

When we pulled up to my house we both saw that Jared still wasn't home. I waved Kim good bye.

"Pick you up before the barbeque starts." She threw me my keys, which I caught easily, and headed back to her Cabin.

I unlocked my cabin door and put all my stuff away. I quickly made a sandwich and ate it while sitting on the counter.

My neighbors seemed nice enough. Kim and Jared was a very loving couple who had accepted me and already thought of me as a friend. It also helped that they introduced me to Paul who would be an officer at the police department. I wouldn't be a complete outcast, which I was nervous about. I could tell Paul and I would get along fine. There was just this feeling of lifetime of friendship written across his face.

I had been so lonely this past couple of years. There was only one friend I had and that was the Captain. Throughout college I was a lonely book nerd and when I tried to get out of my box I got smacked. Life hadn't been easy, I made mistakes. I have regrets that I can't take back. Even if I could somehow go back in time to stop them there would be no alternative choice. Being a hero is not something that is as bright as people seem to think.

I thought about the medal that I threw into the ocean after I was offered it.

I spent time in many places after the three years of college, I graduated early, to get where I am now. It burnt a whole in my chest thinking about my regrets, I couldn't call them mistakes. They weren't mistake because again there had been no other choices, but that didn't mean it didn't leave a whole in my chest.

It felt like the black whole where my heart should be was pulling me apart from the inside. I had never let my heart grieve for everything I lost. I had kept it all locked in and to be honest, I was back to heal. Back to the place my mother and step-father had been last.

A small town was what I needed, but the hurt of all the other bull shit that happened here and other places was pilling up. I just hoped one day I wouldn't explode.

For some reason I held everything tightly and never let anyone in, but that was about to change. I was going to change and have friends.

Not like when I went to high school. In high school I used everyone to get popular. I surrounded myself with false friends and had no loyalty to them and it bit me in the ass. Because when it came to that tragic accident, I had no one to lean on.

Mike had dumped me a week after the wedding and then two weeks my family had died. Again no one to lean on. I felt the black whole suck in another piece of me. It had suddenly become hard to breathe as I tried to hold back the tears that were begging to come out. I took two deep breaths and then ran my hands through my hair.

A part of me wanted to pick up and run to a new place. Being in Forks was going to be harder than any other place. Being in Forks meant small town politics. There were already rumors going around that I was back in town. The owner of the Thriftway, Mr. Kroger, probably already told his wife that I was in town. That means that the Memory Matrons were gossiping at their pink parties and other silly events they plan; no doubt that Lauren was in the Memory Matrons. Everyone in town knows by now.

I was going to be invited to parties, to take my mother's place in the Memory Matrons. She was one of the head leaders in the group and I had always wanted to be just like her. Now I went a complete opposite track.

I was a cop and had no place to be in the elegant and dainty Memory Matrons. No, that was a position for a girl with worries about her place in society.

My mother use to tell me that I was just like my father. From what I remember of him he was a strong man who held an air of leadership around him. He protected what was his and you didn't want to cross him or a wave of anger would roar at you like a tsunami. However, he could be calm and loving and exactly what you need to clean out your wounds like warm water.

After he left my mother became a wreck before she met my step-father. She strived to be this chatter box and worried about society and how she was viewed in it. She pressed me to be more beautiful and skinnier. When I Lauren would come over she dotted on her like the daughter she wished she had.

I was completely left in the dust, taking to sports, but that only earned my step-fathers approval.

My mother would always look at me with sadness in her eyes. She was always quick to remind me that I looked so much like my father and acted like him. So the strive to fill every silence with a sentence and worry about my place in society and how to climb up the later became me.

My mother was a slender small woman, much like Bella Cullen. Lisa Stanley was gorgeous. She was a Grace Kelly look alike. She had long blonde hair and gorgeous hazel eyes. Her skin had a pale pink undertone.

I was still lying on the cool counter top. I hadn't let myself think about her in a very long time, but my father was never anything but a passing thought.

I remember the time I stole a photo of him and looked in the mirror. I had looked just like him. He had the same mud colored hair that I had. I remember playing with the ocean mud and thinking it looked the same color as mine. When I was little and I wanted to be beautiful like my mom, even though I knew it was a lie, I would fabricate what I looked like.

Sort of like the beginning of snow white I would start: hair the color of ocean mud with waves just like the ocean made, eyes as blue as the brightest ocean days and skin with a bronze under tone like the sun loved her.

This memory had me laughing out loud. Kids could sure as hell be creative and I was no exception; if you couldn't tell I had an obsession with the ocean, and still do. It is the only place that every felt like home. I final swung my legs off the counter and had my feet land on the wooden floors. I went into the living room and looked out the window.

They sure as hell picked a good night to have a barbeque. There wasn't a cloud in the sky and at four thirty there was nothing but blue. I went into my room and took my leather jacket off and the rest of my clothes. I traded them for a black dress with biker boots and a black bikini.

I brushed out my hair and brushed my teeth. I then started at the mirror; I was doing that a lot lately. I did have a tinged of bronze in my skin and it wasn't because of the constant sun in Miami. I had always had it in my skin tone. My blue eyes were a darker blue but bright as ever. My lips were plump and slightly wide, but still fit my face. And my body was that of an athlete. I had taken to sports at a very young age. Soccer, softball, swimming, volleyball, basketball, and track had all been my thing. I had skipped out on cheerleading because they didn't do much besides cheer (no gymnastics at all). I had even entered archer competitions to help my arm strength (thanks to my cousin). I remember my step-father keeping my entire trophy collection in his office in Seattle. He came almost every single came, while my mother forced me into ballet, which was no exception I had excelled at it (much to her delight). My body was in tip top shape. I had wanted to be soft like Lauren and Bella, but being in sports kept the pain away. It also won me scholarships to several schools.

Now I thanked all the sports I committed too. It saved my ass on several accounts and gave me a free ride to college.

I heard a knock at the door and ran to open it. Standing on the other side was Jared and Kim.

"Ready to go? Paul told me to drag your ass there if I have to. The rest of the day is supposed to be warm." Jared said to me with a huge smile on his face.

"Jared!" Kim went to slap him but he caught her tiny hand in his hand and brought it to his lips and kissed it softly. I heard her breath stop and her heart skip a beat.

"I love you." He said it so softly that it could have been nothing but the faint sound of the wind. I watched as he slowly gave her a kiss on the lips before pulling away and giving her an award winning smile. He turned to me not embarrassed at all about the show of public affection. "Ready to go?"

I nodded at him and locked the door behind me. I got into their truck and we drove down to La Push. We were there in a short amount of time and came to a pretty white house with baby blue shutters and dark grey shingles on the roof. It was in a very secluded area where people couldn't tell what you were doing and they even had a small beach. The small beach currently had a bonfire going with several youngsters around it. The fires were blue and green and did a wonderful dance along the drift wood as the boys were dancing around the fire.

I had never really paid attention to the colors of the fire when I was younger. There were more important things to look at, like Mike. Now I was totally enraptured by the fires. I started to see men with spears and swords fighting and dancing. A story played across the flames and it was the most elegant and beautiful thing I had ever seen. I heard the crunch of stone behind me and I saw a man in a wheel chair.

He had long midnight colored hair that had a couple of strains of silver with a cowboy hat on the top of his head. There were several laugh lines on his face. This man laughed for many years and cried and he had stories to tell. There was something about his charcoal colored eyes that spoke of magic and myths. And even though he was in a wheelchair his body spoke of strength and leadership. I was sure when he spoke his voice would speak with authority that you would just automatically listen to. This man was a leader, chief of this tribe.

"What are you looking at?" He smiled at me. I took a deep breath and ran a hand through my hair. There was something about him that I could just tell him anything and he wouldn't think I was crazy.

"The fires were telling me a story." I saw his smile widen and his eyes brighten. He held his hands out and I took it. He shook my hand as a strong man would and I matched his strength.

"I'm Billy, Billy Black. Maybe you should take a closer look. You never know they could tell you other things." He smiled at me and rolled over to wear another old man was standing.

"Hey Jessie! Come over here." I looked up and saw Embry over at the buffet table. As I got closer I noticed the amount of food that was there. It was enough to fill a army, and I know it is usually a saying but in this sense it was true. "Here have some of everything. I'll eat what you don't" Embry smiled at me and started to pile all different foods on my plate. Burgers, chips, beans, and several different salads and then handed it to me. I took it and walked over to sit with Paul, Jared, Kim, Embry, and several other people I didn't know.

Paul was quickly by my side and pulled me into a one arm hug.

"Okay everyone this is Jessie and she is new to Forks and she is totally awesome. Jessie this is Rachel, my beloved," The way he looked at Rachel was the same way Jared looked at Kim. There was no one else in the world that would do. The way they looked at each other made me feel it was too intimate to look at. But Rachel was a beauty. She was tan and not the deep russet color that was normal to Native Americans. She had beauty full dark brown hair that waved at the end and full lips that gave her a constant pouty look.

"This is Sam and Emily," Sam was buffer than some of the other guys and stood at six five. Emily, who Sam had is arm wrapped around, was beautiful. This was the first time I had every met her, but I could tell she was just as beautiful on the inside, but she had three scratches on the right side of her face. It slightly ruined her beautifulness, but it was still there.

"And this is Seth and Leah." Seth had a kind and gentle face and his smile made my whole body warm with happiness. He was so innocent and sweet. Leah, however, had a permanent sadness and angriness around her. Her scowl probably scared everyone away and let no one get in. She however was the most beautiful women I had ever seen in my life.

She was an unusual beauty, but the kind you appreciated for the strong features and cherished. She looked like she was a Queen with her regal beauty. She had a strong Jaw that gave her a look of power. Her hair was just below her shoulders was a lighter color than most, but it didn't look dyed. Her eyes were even the color of honey caught in the light.

"You know the rest. Oh and Brady and Colin are over there playing with the other guys and the youngsters." I had noticed that some of the looked a little young to be hanging out with us. "The youngest here is thirteen."

My eyes widened at that as I took a seat. I felt Embry's hot breath on my ear.

"Yeah you would have never guessed, huh?" I shook my head. Some of them did look too young to be hanging out with us, but I never imagined thirteen.

I ate as much as I could while they sat and laughed around me and joined me in as much as they could.

"So, Jessica what brought you to Forks?" I heard Emily ask. I looked up into her brown orbs.

"I just need to come home. Rejuvenate." I smiled up at her but knew it didn't exactly reach my eyes. "Plus I like moving. I go where every the wind takes me and is close to the ocean." I laughed slightly.

I heard Billy's voice behind me.

"That's the way to live, but it's always nice to set down some roots. Make some memories." At his words I felt my heart slightly fight against the black whole. Maybe Billy was good to be around. I smiled at him and he smiled back. "One day a man will capture your heart and you've probably captured many yourself."

"No…" I tried to protest against Billy but Colin interrupted me.

"I know beautiful right; she could rival that blonde haired bl…" Colin was quickly slapped over the head by Sam.

"Cullen or Hale." I heard an entirely different voice come up from behind me. I turned around and saw a man that looked similar to the other guys. He was wearing a tight white V-neck shirt that showed off his body perfectly and beside him was a nine year old girl. Her hair was in a French braid and she had small feckless across her nose and a smile with two missing teeth.

"Quil man what took you so long." Embry was by his side and slapping him on the back.

"Clair wanted some snacks after ballet practice." She did a ballet move to demonstrate what she learned and every one clapped; Quil beamed down at her like a proud older brother. Embry then pointed to me.

"This is Jessie. She moved back to Forks I guess. She's Kim and Jared's neighbor." I got up and went to shake Quil's hand and noticed the warmth he emitted. It must be a Quileute thing.

"Hello." I said with a smile. He smiled back and then looked down at Claire. He bent down so she could whisper in her ear.

"You should tell her yourself." He smiled at me and then back at her. He gave her a slight push in my direction.

"You are so beautiful, like a princess." She put her hands over her mouth and giggled before running over to Emily. I smiled after her.

"She's a little shy." He smiled at me. "I'm Quil."

"Are you her brother?" I asked him. His smile faltered.

"Ummm…No just her abused babysitter…"

"…With no pay." Embry interrupted.

"Yes, with no pay." Quil repeated and gave Embry an evil look.

"Well, you're amazing with her." I looked at the cute little girl smiling and waving her hands about as she unfolded a story to Emily.

The sun was still out and bright as ever. The warmth felt good and right since it was May and June was coming up fast. I walked out toward the beach where the boys had left with the call for seconds.

The hot sand between my toes felt good and I lifted my arms up and took a deep breath of that salty ocean air I loved so much. I had been told many a times that was exactly what I smelt like. My mother would hold me tightly when my father left us; apparently it was another thing we had in common.

I passed the bon fire and dumped my shoes on the sand before sticking my feet in. It was warmer than yesterday and I smiled at the feel of it. I squatted down and palmed some water before throwing it up into the air and laughed.

I had never been mad at my father for leaving and I had never blamed myself. It was strange, maybe it was because my mother held all the hatred inside of her. I had accepted it.

However, as strange as it was, I felt a connection to the water. He had loved the water and taught me to love it also. I remember days in Texas where we would play in the water, my little memory was of course blurry. I would come back telling my mother how dad could spin the water in the air and do amazing things with it. He was magical I would tell her.

I smiled at the memory. So there I was standing in the ocean and focusing on it. It was flowing back and forth and I found myself flowing with it. The air blew my hair back and I closed my eyes. The ocean wind felt like someone was wrapping their arms around me. I wrapped my arms around myself.

"Jessica come over to the bon fire we will be telling some stories." I heard Billy's warm deep voice tell me. I turned around and noticed everyone was sitting by the fire and looking at me with a slight smile on their faces.

I ran over them and took a seat next to Clair and Embry. Clair curled up next to me and put her hand next to my hair.

"You're a mermaid princess. That's why your eyes are blue." She smiled at me before giggling before Quil quieted her down.

Billy cleared his throat and in his rich deep voice demanded to be paid attention too; even Clair didn't make a sound. His voice was majestic. He began to tell stories of Q'waeti', the benevolent hero, and how he made animals do certain things and look a certain way. He talked about how this amazing hero taught humans how to walk right side up.

When this Q'waeti' came to the Quileute lands he saw only two wolves. So he turned the two wolves into people making them the first Quileutes. He then told them that since they came from wolves they will be very brave people.

He then went on helping other lands and setting up tribes all over.

Billy then went to other stories about how the Quileute tribe tied their canoes to the top of the trees to avoid the flood. How a little girl beat a witch who ate children and a raven who was a trickster. I was so involved in his stories and imaging them I didn't realize it was over till Embry was tapping me on the shoulder.

I got up and smiled at him.

"Come on Jess. It's time to go." I smiled at Jared. I grabbed my boots and ran after him. He was currently Holding Kim in his arms. I jumped into the front seat since Jared was putting Kim in the back to let her sleep on the way. "The group loves you." He smiled.

"Yeah they are really nice." He pulled out and reversed. We were home before I knew it as I digested all the magical words Billy said. I had always loved myths, I remember my uncle.

He would come over and bring me raspberry tea and shortbread cookies to have tea in the tea set he bought me. I remember that tea set fondly, that he bought for me. It was black on the outside but a pretty blue on the inside and a single orchid on the bottom of it. It wasn't like other tea sets other little girls got. I cherished it till my mother sold it.

My uncle would sit there and tell me stories of the Greek Gods. His favorite to tell was of Persephone and the pomegranate seeds, but in his version she fell madly in love with Hades. I found myself hoping her and Hades were a happy couple.

I took a big yawn before waving Jared a good bye. I got in bed and dreamt of me running with wolves, hunting deer, and having picnics with Hades and Persephone in Elysian Fields.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: Okay people you really need to start reviewing more. I'm dying here trying to figure out what you want. I tried really hard last chapter to get you to jump out of your seat. I want you begging for Jacob to come into the picture. I want you telling me what you think will happen, what you want to happen. Thank you for telling me I'm doing a good job though. It helps me. And thanks for the one person who put me in their favorites.

Chapter Three

Saturday was filled with me emailing the Captain and having lunch and dinner at Jared's and Kim's house. On Sunday I just laid around with a bag of popcorn and watched Disney movies. The thing was I hadn't one nightmare since the night at La Push. They were just magical dreams. It was nice to have sleep and not wake up feeling sleeper than when I went to sleep.

So, when I woke up for my first day on the job I jumped up from my bed with a tone of excitement. Most police officers in Forks hope for some excitement, but I knew what real excitement meant. The best news you get as an officer means bad news for someone else. I just wanted to be crashing teenagers' parties and looking for a dog that ran away; simple things.

I pulled on a button down shirt and then heard the phone ring. I ran to it and answered it with a hello.

"Hey Jessica, its Chief Swan here." I brunched my eyebrows together in confusion.

"Yes…"

"I just wanted to tell you to not wear anything long sleeves. It's hot out there today, so I won't mind if you wear a tank top. Plus it's a small town so you won't be wearing a uniform." I smiled at not wearing a uniform.

"Yeah okay. Thanks." I hung up the phone and took off the white blouse. I opened the shades and saw it was sunny out again. I pulled on a black t-shirt and some jeans that were tucked into my red boots. I got my keys and locked the door. As I was getting into my Jeep I saw a shirtless Jared dropped a kiss on Kim as she was leaving.

"Hey guys." I waved over at them. I looked over and saw Tie and Brandon getting into their cars. I waved at both of the couples before getting into my jeep.

As I pulled up I saw several other cars in the parking lot. The Forks police department consisted of about six officers, now seven. They didn't do much, some got the night shift, and some got the day shift. I switched back and forth with Paul, who dropped the ball saying I was now his partner in crime. I corrected him in saying justice, but I got the point. He was happy I was his partner.

I walked in and a small little woman was at the receptionist desk. Her hair was cut in a small cute little bobby and she was wearing a dark green dress that had a very deep V-neck. She had a cute little smile.

"You must be Layla." I gave her a small smile, which she smiled back at. Then she proceeded to tell me everything about my job and her job. She then talked to me about Paul and all the other officers. She reminded me of how I use to be. I never gave anyone a moment to talk or peace. However, she was doing it because it was her; I did it because I wanted attention.

I signed some papers and got my badge and gun as she continued to mindlessly babble about anything and everything.

"…And everyone is kind of freaking out that your back." My head snapped up at her.

"What?"

"Well yeah. You're apparently not getting back into the same crowd you were with in high school." She leaned over the desk and began to talk in whispers, "Apparently some people think you look a little dangerous to be around. There are all kinds of rumors about where you've been and what you've been doing. Also, the fact that you haven't immediately picked up your friendship with Lauren has her scared and the rest of the ladies of Forks. Mike's a big catch; not to mention the golden boy." She sat back down in her seat and smiled.

"Well no one has to worry about me. I'm good."

"Don't listen to Ms. Gossip over there." I heard Paul behind me. I smiled and waved. "Come on let me show you your desk and then out to the car."

Paul guided me to a small desk in the corner which was next to his and then took me out for a round.

"So tell me all about yourself Jessica?" Paul asked me on the drive.

"Like what?"

"Your middle name, favorite movie, favorite color, you know." I smiled.

"Okay, my full name is Jessica Delphinia Stanley. Until I was twelve it was Delphinia Dreama Stanley; my mother changed it."

"Wow, are you Greek or something?" I smiled

"Yeah, actually. My dad was from Greece."

"So, what's your name mean?"

"My first name has something to do with water. It's also has something to do with a celebration to do with Apollo. My middle name means joyous music. My father said his nephew named me." I looked at the green that was outside of the window.

"So then Hercules, tell me more." I laughed at the nick name that was probably going to stick.

"My favorite color is blue and I love _Fight Club_ and _Up_."

"That's quite a drastic difference."

"Hey! Fight Club is an amazing movie that mind fucks you in the best way." I smiled, "and _Up_ is an emotional rollercoaster that makes my heart beat faster. _Up_ is just so amazing." I smiled as I thought of balloons, birds named Kevin, and the cone of shame.

"Alright, Alright. Continue." I raised my eyebrow.

"What about you?" I poked him on the arm. I had slightly gotten used to the heat these boys emitted.

"Okay, I am Paul Lahote and I lived in La Push my whole life. I'm Quileute. I don't really have any family beside my girlfriend and her family. My favorite movie is Toy Story…" I punched him on the arm.

"I can't believe you questioned my love of UP when you're in love with Toy Story." I saw him rub his arm.

"Hey Buzz Lightyear and Woody are awesome. UP is about an old man and a boy scout." I shook my head.

"As much as I love Toy Story I gotta say that UP is way better."

"Okay let's agree to disagree, by the way that punch actually hurt me." He kept rubbing his arm which made me smile a bit.

"I've mastered several martial arts. I've got a black belt in karate." I heard him laugh next to me.

"Alright Bruce Lee. Seriously though that actually hurt. How the hell did you do that?" I looked over and he seemed generally confused by this.

"Don't dwell on it too much." I had done a number of things in my life time. Punching a man and making it hurt wasn't a big deal.

We spent the rest of the time just driving around until lunch time. He took us to this small diner on the reservation. I heard the sound of people's voice, and clinking silver wear and glass, the sound of dishes being washed and the sizzle of food being cooked as I entered. I smelt food, bacon, burgers. It was driving me into overload and making me very hungry. When I finally opened my eyes I was in a booth with fake red leather covering it. I could still see the ocean from the seat I was in and Paul was across from me.

After we went to the diner the day was generally pretty quiet, which was exactly what I wanted. No need for heroics in a small town, just a bossy attitude and a party busting mood. On my way home I pulled into the liquor store and bought a bottle of white wine. I was in a pretty damn good mood.

As I drove back to the cabin I noticed it was only four and on the way there was a small little bar/ restaurant that got a lot of business from tourist. I don't know what made me pull in, but I did. I took off my black t-shirt and pulled on a black tank top. As I walked in I noticed very few cars were in the parking lot. It was probably loyal customers who just wanted a drink before they went home to their families. It was cabin looking and had a red fox drawn on a sign.

I pushed the door open and saw a few people sitting on high raised tables looking at a big screen TV that was playing ESPN. I looked at all the men wearing plaid and hats. Some were truckers finally able to catch a break from the long roads. Some were in the corner playing darts and laughing at the loser. There were the alcoholics who had been there for the whole day and had nowhere else to go. There was an old man who was smoking a cigar, sipping his whiskey, and telling the bartender about his good ole days.

To my left there was a group of bikers standing around talking about their scars and the various different accidents they've got into during the years. There were many women dressed in little to nothing.

I took a seat at the bar and continued to look around. There was a man who was sitting at the very end of the bar crying and looking at a note, while drowning his sorrows in beer.

There were some men who were playing pooling and hustling the money out of the poor sucker who bought into it.

There was a group of old veterans who were telling war stories to each other with such enthusiasm while at the same time reminiscing about the ones they lost.

It was my kind of place and it was putting a big smile on my face. Everyone was just doing their thing. I raised my hand and the bartender came over.

He had a name tag on that said Tobey and he had brown hair and a tight black t-shirt on. He leaned over to clean the spot in front of me.

"What do you want?"

"Pale Lager, any brand." He smiled at me and brought me back a mug filled with what I asked for.

I took a sip and closed my eyes. It had been so long since I had a beer this good. I savored the flavor as I watched the fishing channel on the TV above me. I sat there awhile just reveling in the atmosphere the bar had going. The jukebox was playing country, which seemed perfect for this place.

I felt someone slip into the seat next to me. When I looked up I saw a man who was obviously from the reservation. He had long glossy black hair that was back with a rubber band and end at his shoulder blades. His skin was beautiful, he had small scratches here and there but still had a smooth silky look to it; his skin tone was a russet-color. His eyes were dark, set deep above the high planes of his cheekbones. There was no roundness to his face and were all sharp angles of a man. He was a very beautiful man.

"A beer please. I don't care what it is." His voice was deep and had a husky tone to it.

I continued to observe him from the corner of my eye. He was so tall; he stood at six feet and seven inches. He was currently wearing black biker boots with jeans and a black t-shirt. I had seen him before; He went to school to see Bella when we were in high school, twice. One time to talk to her and once to take her away. I had forgotten his name.

I went back to my fishing and beer.

"You seem strangely familiar. Where do I know you from?" I looked over at the man whose deep voice attracted me. I looked into his dark orbs; they were so dark they were almost black, but if you were as close as I currently was you saw they were just a deep deep brown.

I smirked and took a sip of my beer.

"You were friends with Bella; Bella Swan or Culled now." I looked over at him and saw no recognition what so ever. I held out my hand, "Jessica."

He took my hand in his and I felt the warmth in his hand. His hand was sweltering hot just like Paul's and the others.

"Still doesn't ring a bell." I shrugged my shoulders. I honestly didn't care; he was very good looking, but I was here for me.

I felt him slam the bar with his fist. Some of the other costumers jumped up at the loud sound; however, I just looked over at him.

"You were at a beach party with a bunch of friends back in high school. It was the day I reunited with Bella." He smiled at the fond memory. I took a big gulp of my beer and looked over to realize he was still observing me. "You've changed though."

"You haven't really changed much." His smile was absolutely breath taking. He lit up the whole room and I saw many women turn their heads to appreciate his bulging muscles.

"For some reason you've got me smiling." He took a sip of his beer and started to play with the wrapper on the bottle.

"I haven't said much." Shook my head and then raised an eyebrow at him.

"I've been having trouble lately." He finished off his beer and waved for another one. The bartender immediately brought him another beer and went to console another costumer. "You're not going to ask me what my troubles are." I looked over and saw he had a smirk a cross his full lips.

"I figured if you wanted me to know you'd tell me. You were always eager to talk if I remember correctly or maybe it depended on _who_ you talked to." My own smirk appeared a cross my lips at the word who. I saw him slightly frown getting my point. He turned to me and probably saw the look of empathy.

"There's more to the story than you think." He turned his upper body to me.

"There always is." The bartender took my mug and came back with it filled. "I'm not judging you. Trust me; I am in no place to judge." I took a sip of my beer and put my attention back on the TV.

"You are not the Jessica Stanley that Bella described. She talked about a gossipy girl more worried about her hair than her homework." I turned to him.

"First of all I was valedictorian, which means I graduated first of our class. Second people change, so she should shut her little fucking mouth." He looked a little surprised by my outburst, but then had a hearty smile.

"I should be angry that you just insulted one of them women I love, but strangely it's nice to hear someone say something bad about her."

"Always is when it's the one who broke your heart; especially if it happened more than once." I took a bitter sip of my beer. Mike's face flashed a cross my brain. "So, two women?"

"I'm with someone else who happens to be related to her." I hissed at the thought of that. "Yeah believe me. I love the women I'm with more, but in the back of my mind I still love Bella. Unfortunately it hurts everyone around us." I looked at him and realized this man was pouring his heart and soul to a stranger.

"You must have been keeping this in for a very long time. You are pouring your heart and soul out to a stranger in a bar." I looked up and smiled at him.

"You have no idea. I came here for some privacy, but instead I'm talking to you." I saw him shake his head slightly.

"You never told me your name."

"Jacob, Jacob Black." The name hit me like a ton of bricks as recognition hit me. Paul and Embry mentioned a Jacob Black at the party. He was Billy's son. Embry also said something about him stuck in an unfortunate situation.

"Billy's kid?" I looked up into his eyes and noticed all since of happiness gone from his face.

"Yeah, I haven't seen him in a while. How do you know my dad?"

"I went to a barbeque and met him there. Interesting guy. I like him a lot." I finished off my beer. I got up from seat and turned toward Jacob, "If you see him tell him I said hi." He nodded and I left the bar.

The bar wasn't too far away from my house and as soon as I pulled up Kim was coming out of her house and waving me over to her. I jumped out of the jeep and ran over to her porch. As soon as I reached the bottom step I was swept up into a hug by Embry.

"Hello to you to Embry." He smiled at me as he placed me on the porch and ushered me into the house. The smells of baked salmon filled my senses and my stomach immediately growled.

Embry led me into the dining room and I saw that Jared was already seated. I took a seat next to Embry and listened to Kim run around the kitchen in the other room.

"How was your first day of work?" I looked up and smiled.

"It was awesome, Paul got the chief to let us be partners and we just drove around talking. It was nice and easy." Jared smile got even bigger.

"Did you hear that Embry? Hercules didn't have to kill Medusa today." I slapped my hand against my forehead. I was right it would stick.

"It wasn't Hercules who killed Medusa." I explained.

"Ignore the men Jessica." Kim came in with a dish of mass potatoes and then after that started to fill the table with many casserole dishes. "Alright you may dig in Jessica and then the guys can go after you."

After Kim and I got the portions we wanted the guys took the rest and immediately began digging in. I heard Kim giggle.

"Do they all eat like this?" I turned to Kim.

"Yeah, I always wonder where they put it all." I poked Embry's arm and got a smile from him before he began to eat his salmon again. I let out a soft laugh and continued to eat.

"Oh," I looked up from my meal and saw everyone look at my expectantly. "Do you know Jacob Black, Billy's kid? I met him today at a bar not far from here." Everyone stopped eating and the table fell into an awkward silence. I felt bad about bringing it up, but before I could retract my statement Embry spoke up.

"Jacob doesn't come around as much as he used to…"

"Not at all really…" Jared piped in.

"He fell in love with Bella, but then her…her…" Kim looked around for help.

"Her cousin came in town after the wedding." Embry filled in for her. "Slowly he started falling in love with her, but couldn't let go of his love for Bella…"

"He loves Nessie more than Bella though, but it makes everything around the house awkward for them all." Jared finishes.

"So, most of the time after Jacob finishes his work at the mechanic shop we run, he goes to drink himself into oblivion and then heads home." Embry said the finale statement, "He's miserable."

"Wow what did he do to the Gods for them to put such a curse on him?" I swear under Embry's breath he said, "There's more to it than you know."

"We don't know." Kim said sadly. I could tell it was the last of that conversation.

Jared and Embry then began story about how they had a competition on who could eat the most apple seeds and how poor Seth puked all over the garden.

"Brady told Leah she should just pour dirt over it and grow apple trees." Jared said

"Then she hit him over the head with a shovel and he face planted into the puke." Embry and Jared were laughing so hard at this point. It made me smile even though I was a little concerned about Brady's head.

As I left Kim's and Jared's place a thought came into my head. If Jacob was here but was regularly at the Cullen's then they must still be in town. Then why was everyone else saying that she left and didn't talk to anyone. I shrugged my shoulders, I didn't really care. I wasn't here to solve mysteries, just fix my own problems.

I went to my Jeep and turned on the song You Got Yr. Cherry Bomb by Spoon. I started to sing the lyrics as I zipped the driver window down. It was another clear night in Forks, which was an unusual occurrence. The air was even warm as it came through the car. I smiled as the air around me smelled like the forest.

I was at First Beach before I knew it. What reached me first was the smell of home; the salty air. I got out of the jeep and planted myself straight on the sand. The coolness of it felt good on my back.

I looked up at the stars and was amazed. In all honestly it reminded me of the nights Mike and I would find a secluded place on the mountains and place a blanket down and make out till curfew. Even then I had never really paid attention to the stars, but now that I was I couldn't help but be astounded. It was the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. There were a bunch of little stars some bright and some not so bright.

But each could have life that surrounded them. To think of these own little stars that were the suns of some other planets. I took a deep breath and ran my hands through my hair.

To my delight being back hadn't been so bad. No one had rightly accused me of anything or had yelled at me. I hadn't seen anyone from Forks besides Tie and Brandon. I had mostly been with Kim over the last few days I've been here. She, Jared, and Paul were becoming the closes thing I've ever had to friends.

I had taken to completely ignoring my so called friends in high school. None of them had come to my door step except Lauren, and now she thought I was out to steal her husband.

"So we meet again." I looked up and saw Jacob Black.

"Twice in one day." I propped myself on my arms. "Don't you have relationship problems? I mean a married woman and her cousin. That's tough stuff." Not that I believed the bullshit that Kim, Jared, and Embry told me.

He plopped down next to me and I just noticed the beer in his hands. He took a sip of his beer.

"So I told Billy you said hi. He speaks fondly of you." I smiled at Billy talking about me and being fond of me.

"Billy is a really good story teller." He smiled at me before he let the darkness take over his face again. He had such an expression of pain on his face; like he had his own black hole that took over his heart and was eating him bit by bit. "He is a good man too; fun to be around."

I saw him nod slowly as he laid down on the ground next to me.

"I know your friends. They told me this bullshit story about all that's happening in your life. I just wanted you to know I don't buy it for a second." I saw him fidget slightly, "However, I'm a firm believer ignorance is bliss. I will not ask you any questions about your predicament." I ran my hands through my hair, "We all go through hell Jacob. They only thing you can do is stay there and be tortured or fight your way out of it."

I saw him about to protest, but I waved my hand to stop him.

"I know all about there being only one choice to make and being stuck with the burn of the after affect. I've been there. You do what you've got to do."

"The fact that I've just told a stranger more than anyone of my friends is a bit weird."

"I'm not that much of a stranger. We've met before."

"Is this where I sing about how I've met you once upon a dream?" I laughed at him.

"It might help, unless you sound horrible." I snapped my fingers, "Oh we know mutual friends."

"We do. So we are acquaintances."

"Yeah, so it's perfectly normal that we would be talking to each other." I nodded at my statement. I smiled at him and realized how much I liked being around Jacob Black. Also, if I wasn't mistaken, he didn't mind being around me.

"So how is everyone doing?" He asked me all silliness out of his voice.

"Ummm… Well everyone is happy it seems. They are always doing silly things." After a while we just sat in silence next to each other.

I was brought back to nights with Mike and the only other man in my life that I let in, Adam. I was brought back to screaming kids, un wanted fires, and bullets flying.

But ultimately I thought about my mother and step-father. I was brought back to the night they died. No one really knew what happened, but the car couldn't stop and they were hit by a drunk driver. It was a full on collision and no one survived.

Two days after the funeral I accepted a scholarship to NYU and left immediately. I had finished college in three years because I saved up for summer throughout the years. Then I went to Miami to go the police academy there. I was a hit as a cop and the FBI soon caught wind of me and gave me an offer I couldn't refuse.

I spent one year as a FBI agent, but my goal had been the SWAT team. I had moved up the ranks quickly and was soon a SWAT member, but like I said being a hero wasn't all it is cut out to be.

I shook my head and thought about when I was finally going to come face to face with Lauren. It would happen and I wasn't going to back down this time. I was going to roll my shoulders back and give her hell.

I remember one of my father's nephews coming over. He would always spew out about how war was impossible to get away from. Apparently it was in human nature to fight; people even fought other people to not fight. He would smile at how stupid humans can be. Then he would teach me how to fight and the importance of installing fear in your opponent.

I was inspired by him to take several different martial arts classes and in the long run it helped me out more than he would ever know.

It made me giggle at the thought of days play fighting with him. Whenever I thought I was going to be beaten to a pulp, he could be a very fearful man, he would just start to tickle me. Then my Aunt would come out and yell at her sun for ruining my beautiful new dress. He would pick me up and kiss me on top of my head and hurry me inside.

"What are you laughing at?"

"Just old family memories." I looked up at Jacob and noticed honest curiosity in his eyes. I took a big yawn and sat up.

I slapped Jacob on the shoulders and then stood up with another yawn erupting from my mouth. I saw Jacob get up and yawn too.

"I hope you figure out your problems." I waved at him. I heard him whisper, "I hope you do too." I smiled at him saying this.

Jacob Black was a generally nice guy with a lot of problems, but that's what Bella Swan did. Although, she didn't mean to mess with people's lives and tried to be selfless, she just wasn't. No one was perfect and she should have tried to stop being perfect and spear people's feelings. In all honesty I would want someone to give me the news it wasn't going to happen before traveling a journey with them that left me with more pain than I began with. Not that I didn't mind traveling a journey that would lead to heartbreak, but if the other person knew he or she was just leading me into oblivion then why bother.

And poor Jacob Black, his heart still so innocent, was no exception to this pain. At least he didn't have to deal with the other shit I went through. However, something kept him to this woman Nessie. The way he talked about her was like he was with adoration but with a sense of caged dog feel to it. There was no way in hell I would fall for one of Mike's family members. I could never let go of the person I loved while I was still around them.

That was what was happening to Jake it seemed. He loved Nessie more, but with Bella around he saw all the things he loved about her rush back to him. He could never let go, and any memories he has about the girl he wanted first would hurt everyone around them; making the situation unbearable for the whole family.

I drove back home and zipped up my window on the way. When I reached the porch I saw Embry leaving Kim's house. I waved goodbye and watch him drive away in his blue ford truck.

I did my regular routine for bedtime and then tucked myself in for the night. My dreams were peaceful as ever with days of my cousin tickling me and my Aunt washing off the dirt on my pretty blue dress.

XXXXXXXXXXX

Please guys I will say it again. Ask me qustions, comment, and guess what you think will happen next. It's fun to see your reviews. It makes me happy. so I beg of you review or I'll just go back to playing the Sims 3.


	4. Chapter 4

Author's Note: So here it is the new chapter. It took me a while but I got it up. Ignore the spelling and grammar please and thank you to the people who have been reviewing. I thank you much. Oh and go see the Advengers! It's fucking awesome. Loved every second of it.

My first week at work had been normal, boring, and nice. I had never been more bored in my life and it was quite alright with me.

I had been quite busy and had no time to think at all, which was even better. However, now I had nothing to do and had every bit of time to think over everything.

Thinking wasn't such a good thing. I had too many memories I just wanted to push down and never think about again, but for some reason all I could think about on this very day was memories of my father's family.

It was an average day in forks. The rain was pouring down on this town as hard as ever, and I was currently sitting in a rocking chair on the front porch watching. It was a serene scene watching the rain drops fall on the leaves in the trees above.

I had currently no work, Paul had some tribal things to do and since he was my partner I had three days off. Three days with nothing to do. Unfortunately tribal things meant Embry, Kim, and Jared. So I had time to think; time I didn't want.

I tilted my head back and sighed. Again unfortunately for me something came to my door step I didn't want. Be careful for what you wish for. I wanted to keep busy to try and get away from my thoughts but I had forgotten one thing that was lurking. Lauren.

She pulled up in a red hybrid; there were mud splatters around the tire area from the dirt road. She stepped out of the care looking like an angel as always. Above her hair was a red umbrella that kept her hair from being ruined by the rain. She had worn her hair straight today and had worn a red dress. It should have looked ridiculous that she matched her car, but it didn't. That was Lauren though; she could pull things off that not many could or would.

"Hello Jessica." I waved at her as she came closer.

When she finally reached me and I could see the fake smile on her face I knew bad news was coming, or maybe good news. Back in high school good news for Laruen meant good news for me; however, now good news for her meant bad news for me and vice versa.

I looked her up and down and saw in her hand she had a pink envelope and her baby bump was finally showing. I briefly wondered if her and Angela were due around the same time.

"Hey Lauren. Did you want something?" I stood up from my rocking chair and heard the creak as it angrily swung back and forth from my sudden disappearance.

I had been friends with Lauren for a long time; actually the right word would be slave or lackey. I had watched her have melt downs when Tyler asked Bella out instead of her. I had clothes and books thrown at me when someone had the same shirt as her, and I had seen the fear in her eyes that Bella might have taken her reign as Queen.

Right now Lauren was slightly frightened and frankly I couldn't blame her. She may have looked like an angel, but she wasn't an archangel. She had no power to back herself up in a combat fight, that's one of the reasons I was her lackey. I had been a bubbly personality, a light person who took up the entire conversation, but when it came down to it I could easily win a fight.

My muscles had always been visible, and Lauren would spit lies and spread rumors standing behind me. Now she didn't have anyone but Mike to stand behind, but he wasn't here. I would never hit her, but she didn't have to know that.

"The Memory Matrons have sent me here to invite you to join us at our pink party." She handed me the envelope. I just started at it.

My mother was a Memory Matron; it was one of the things she devoted her time into after father left her and our step-father became a very busy man. She also went to PTA meetings and other silly house wife things besides gossip. She climbed the social ladder and ran this town.

Yes, people voted for who was mayor, but it always was strange how whoever my mother voted for won. She just happened to be that influential.

I had strived to be like her after endless comments on how I was just like my father. Again I never though anything of my father leaving; never blamed him or was anger. It just was to me. Still the way my mother would say it was like I was being reprehended. So, I strived to be the talkative, beautiful, and powerful Lisa Stanley.

However, when I went off to college my sense of bravery got in my way. I had loved to help people and soon criminal justice became my choice and after many incidents, my heroics diminished into nothing. No matter how many people you save there are still some who die and it hurts. It clenches your heart and won't let go.

I didn't want to be like my mother anymore, but I didn't want to be a hero either. I didn't know what I wanted to be and that was the scariest thing of all.

And here was Lauren giving me an envelope to a destiny I had wanted when I was sixteen. I could take the envelope, adopt myself into the life I once knew and cherished. I would ultimately be Lauren's lackey again, she was always more like my mother than I, but I would have a goal again. It could be the way to heal.

But was it something I wanted for myself. I had always had more leadership skills in me than Lauren. I was the captain of several sports teams throughout high school.

My cousin had said tactics were important, and you should always think several steps ahead of your opponent. She had said being several steps ahead of your opponent was always important and this skill could be used in politics or battle. I however used them in sport games.

Lauren had a different leadership style. She would beat her opponent down with insults until they were no longer a threat to her.

I had already been beaten down with insults at home from my mother; if you added my friend I was just merely a sheep. They, together, had transformed me into the Jessica I knew in high school, but she was here no longer.

As my thoughts led to this I realized it wasn't who I wanted to be. I didn't want to be a social climbing Jessica. Whoever I was that just wasn't me.

I shook my head.

"I don't think I will be going. Thank you for the offer though." I watched as Lauren's eyes widened at my decline.

"…But…But… Your mother was the leader of the Memory Matrons. She would want you to belong to the club. I am doing you a favor here. I stuck my neck out for you. The other girls want nothing to do with you. With the way you dress and your tattoos. Frankly your profession is unsuitable for a woman such as yourself." She still held out the envelop for me to take. In all actuality we both knew that being a cop was the perfect place for me. I had perfect reflexes, endurance, strengthen, fighting skills, and flexibility to be a cop. Not to mention my near fatal aim, but always wounding. Something was up. I wasn't buying it.

"No Lauren. You want me under your wing so you can keep an eye out for me."

"You have no clue what you're talking…"She flustered and as red as a lobster at the accusation, which meant ultimately I had found the truth.

She was a poor poker player. When she was caught red handed she would have this exact reaction before she would calm down and the insults would start.

"Of course I do. You came back to take Mike away from me. That's why you haven't re started your friendship with me. Everyone in town knows you're a want to be home wrecker. Well don't you dare even…"

I had stepped close to her and leaned slightly over so I could look her in the eye. I saw her eyes widen with fear.

"Did you just threaten me?" My voice was low, clear, and concise. I wasn't going to take her bullshit. This was the new me. "Let me tell you something. No body threatens me. I don't want Mike, so you can just stay out of my way and I will stay out of yours."

I took a step back from her and saw her slightly shaken body. I rustled the keys in my pocked to make sure they were there and jumped off the porch.

"I need a drink." I said loudly as I jumped into my jeep and drove away. As I was pulling out I looked in my rearview mirror and saw that Lauren was still glued to the spot I left her. She was frozen by the transaction that had just happened. Jessica Stanley had stood up to Lauren Mallory; that would make headline news in this small town. No one had ever done what I had done before, and as much as I didn't want a war, it sure was coming.

I recognized the red fox on the cabin before I knew where I had even headed. The Gods seemed to lead me to places I just needed to go.

As I opened the door the familiar smell of cigar smoke and whiskey filled the air; the sound of clattering and cheers left the place feeling full of celebration. It seemed the same people where here today as the day I first came in here.

As I took a seat at the bar I saw Jacob come in through the door. He stood still as a small smile spread across his face; however, it did not reach his eyes. He walked toward me and I noticed how it spoke of his troubles. His shoulders were slightly hunched over; his arms didn't have a swing, but instead they were kept to his side as if he didn't know what to do with them; his head was kept down. This look of his troubles reminded me of someone else I knew; someone I had recently met.

We sat in silence as the bartender gave me a cheap glass of red wine. I swirled it in my hand as I pondered over who Jacob reminded me of. I stole glances here and there.

"What are you thinking about?" I heard his husky deep voice and it awoke me from my thinking. I scrunched my face together and then smoothed it out.

"Who you remind me of?" I said truthfully. "The way you slouch and hold yourself. Don't say Billy, because I'm not talking looks wise." He seemed to think about my question as he opened and closed his mouth several times. I didn't think he knew what I was talking about.

I swirled my wine in my glass and I was brought back to another cousin of mine. He had taught me how to drink wine and what wine would go with what dish. He was quite the party animal and always had a wine glass in his hand and a cigar in the other. It was funny how he never had a hangover; guess you wouldn't if you never stopped drinking, but he was fun.

"I have no clue what you're talking about." I was brought back to the present again by the sound of Jacobs voice.

He had currently put his beer on the bar and was crossing his arms over his chest. I knew it was a sign of his stubbornness, and that was all the food for thought I needed to know who he reminded me of.

"Sam. Sam Uley." I had whispered under my breath, but the sign of him stiffen made me realize he heard me. He turned to me with anger burning in his eyes at the sound of Sam's name.

"I'm nothing like Sam." He spit with acid laced at the end of his tongue. My eyes narrowed as I slightly hissed at the harshness of his words.

I had meant nothing by them, but it meant more to him than me. Enough to get him to verbally growl at me.

"I meant no harm. Just your posture." I tried to diffuse the situation, but my body's mannerisms were acting on its own. The malice in his voice made my body go ridged and went into an automatic defense stance. I was prepared for whatever he was going to bring and I noticed his body had the same reaction.

As we stood there staring at each other through narrowed eyes, ready for the other's next move I felt a wave of energy that went down my back as I stared into his eyes. I saw a slight shiver in his body too. The energy was powerful and unexplainable, and I was unable to pull away from him.

Even if I could I would never let him get the upper hand. It was a strange power struggle and something else between us. Again, it was unexplainable.

I felt my right hand involuntarily reach out to touch him and I saw his right hand mirror mine; the chatter in the background was just white noise. When my hand finally made contact with his, it was something I had never felt before: absolute and utter completeness. Before I could revel in the feeling he pulled away.

My eyes immediately snapped to his and saw the pain in them. He began to clench over as he grunted from the discomfort. I reached out to try and help him, but I immediately pulled my hand back. That's what began this in the first place. Though we had touched before. Why had this feeling and then his agony come now? Maybe it wasn't me. Maybe he had a condition.

"Are…Ar…Are you okay?" I continued to reach out and pull back from him. I hadn't any clue what to do? I was a trained professional in several different martial arts, evacuation techniques, skilled with different small and large fire arms (hell even a crossbow), and new more than the required first aid. However, I had no clue what to do for Jacob Black. I was frozen to this bar seat uncertain if I should touch him.

Finally, I made the decision to touch him. I grabbed his shoulders and pulled him up so he could look into my eyes. The pain was gone and so was the feeling.

"Jacob!" I looked up and noticed a beautiful woman. She had auburn hair and beautiful brown eyes that were so familiar; it left me with an itch. Hey skin was the color of ivory and she had a natural blush to her cheeks. She looked so familiar but I couldn't place her. She ran to Jacob's side and touched him. As she pulled him out of the bar, asking him questions and talking to him, I felt something in me begging to follow.

Instead of following I took one from my cousin; I sat back down in my bar seat and gulped down the entire glass. I had no clue what the fuck just happened and it was only the begging of the day.

There was something strange in Forks, always have been, but I was too dumb to notice it. Now my eyes were wide open. I wanted normal and maybe I should have gone to the goddamn state of Alabama because I sure as hell wasn't going to get it now.

I ran to my jeep and drove to the one place I felt at home; felt safe and comfortable. I was at first beach faster than I could have imagined; for a cop I sure didn't care about the speed limit. I pulled off my t-shirt and it left me with a tank top. I didn't care if it was cold outside or raining; I just wanted to feel better. The only way I could feel better is if I was near the ocean.

I took off for the forest at the edge of the beach and immediately felt the difference from the rocky sand to the forest mud under my red boots. The edge of the cliff was in clear view as I walked over roots and rocks. I took a deep breath as my favorite smell filled my nose; the scent of the salty ocean air.

As I reached the cliff I kneeled to peer over to get a good look at the distance and what was below. There were a couple sharp rocks at the bottom and several that looked like very good sitting places.

"This will be fun." I said to myself as I grabbed the ledge of the cliff with my right arm before I swung my entire body down and then grabbed it with my left hand. Then I helped my arms by using my leg power and pressed my feet into the cliff side. I scaled the cliff downward until I was low enough to jump onto a rather flat rock.

Once my feet were planted on stable ground I took a deep breath and let the smell soothe my body. I took a seat and crossed my legs Indian style. I just didn't let the smell soothe my body, but the sound of the waters crash against the rocks was the most beautiful sound in the world. _Second _I found the back of my mind whisper.

I gasped for a breath at this thought.

The thunder was not far behind my breath as the rain continued to rage on. I was soaked to the core but I just couldn't care. I leaned back and let my back hit the rock and then stretched my legs out.

For the first time I let myself think. Think about what got me to come back to Forks, or the several things that brought me back here. Also, what made me leave in the first place.

Like I've always said I was a wannabe. I wanted to be like the mother who tortured me with taunts about my "horrible father you left us for dead". She was a bit over dramatic. I had never been well liked. Throughout elementary school I kept a quiet demeanor and analyzed ever person and their behaviors; it wasn't a normal thing for a little girl to do. However, when my father had left my mother and me I ran to be the opposite.

Throughout middle school and high school I strived to climb up the social ladder. I became friends with Dictator Lauren to do it.

However, Mike Newton moved here from sunny California to brighten up the world with his blue eyes and blonde hair. I immediately had a crush on him; however, I told Lauren it was love at first sight. These secrets I shared with her didn't stop her from taking him from me; although he wasn't mine.

When she broke up with him I thought I had a chance, but he never paid me any mind. When the Cullens moved into town I was momentarily distracted from Mike by the available and impossibly beautiful Edward Cullen. I never had a chance with Edward no matter where my thoughts went and he cold and indifferent personality turned me off. I was then brought back to Mike, but Bella Swan came into town and not only did she capture the heart of Edward Cullen she captured Mike. Bella Swan is a girl who doesn't like attention and ultimately done me a favor; she got Mike to go out with me.

Mike and I didn't last long though. Bella Swan became single again after Edward had left town; for seemingly good this time. Mike dumped me off on the corner like yesterday's trash and went in full pursue of Bella.

When Bella and Edward's wedding invitation came in the mail I got Mike's invitation to go back out. I remember how my heart soared at the thought of him wanting to date me again. As soon as the wedding ended Mike slowly lost interest in me. I was old news because the thought of college girls was way more appealing.

Then the accident happened. I had loved my mother, even with all her insults, and I loved my step-father. My step-father had stepped in my father's place easily.

Frank Bass was an amazing man who loved me like I was the son he never had. I remember days of him signing me up for different sports and martial arts. When I exceled at all of them his eyes would brighten up and he would dust off a new spot in his office for another trophy. He even had my ballet trophy's up. At least I made someone happy with me.

The car accident happened because of a drunken semi driver. It was a head on collision, but the semi driver didn't have his seat belt on. His body flew out the window and skid along the road, like butter on bread. Was it wrong I laughed at that thought? He did ultimately kill my only family that I had left.

After the funeral I had no ties left to Forks. I was in absolute distress and had no clue what to do. I then became hostile. I still remember the bare knuckle fights I was in because I had no idea what I was going to do.

Finally I accepted a scholarship to NYU and focused on sports and studies. I had graduated in three years and went to Miami to go and to the police academy there. I wanted sunny days and beaches. When I got in the academy I was the number one cadet at the police academy and it didn't take long for the FBI to catch on to me.

However, I got into a hostage situation gone wrong. I was to go in and investigate how many hostages were in there, but the agency had miscounted how many bad guys were in the building. That mistake alone left me and everyone in the building in danger; they had set up bombs everywhere along the building. As people recognized the sound of the beeping throughout the building as bombs about to go off, they panicked. With people running to get out of the building the enemy slaughtered them all.

One woman brought her son into work that day. I saw her body hunched over the little boy as he cowered at what was going on around him.

I remember feeling the cold floors as I slid and grabbed him into the safety of my arms. I remember his tight little fist grab my with such vigor I thought his nails might puncture my skin. I had somehow managed to get me and the boy out of the building with very serious injuries, but out none the less.

After the whole after mass I found out the boy's name was Jeff and he was going into foster care. I had tried to adopt him but my life wasn't stable enough. I still check up on him; he moves to horrible foster home after horrible foster home.

That was the first crack in my heart.

The SWAT team had found me soon after that and I accepted the offer. However, real soon I was going to find out what being a hero meant.

Again there was another hostage situation that called for me to this time safely get the governor's wife and kids out of their house safely. Again the situation didn't go well. I had watched as they killed the governor's wife and two kids in front of me. I rarely remember anything after that, but red.

When I woke up in the hospital they told me the entire terrorists group was dead; I had killed them all. A regular hero. The thought put venom in my mouth.

I had moved back to Miami and let the Captain bring me back to the police force. What a mistake that was. We had gotten into a shoot-out with a notorious Haitian gang that was currently holding up a bank. I had watched as many of my fellow police officers fell to the ground and Adam.

The memories of all the blood flowed over me as I cried out. Each god damn time I had been awarded a hero when I am nothing of the sort. I had hated myself for so long when I smiled or did anything that would make me feel happy.

Finally after spending so much time hating myself and getting drunk in the bar around the corner from my house, I took steps to heal. I had started to eat and sleep, although sleeping was rare. By the time I decided to move away I had been able to function.

But I was here in Forks for two weeks and I had friends and was smiling; I didn't hate myself for it either. There was something magical about this place. But that meant it was even more dangerous than anything I had ever had before.

And Jacob Black, he was going to be a big problem. That feeling we had when our hands touched was nothing I had ever felt before. It felt like I was whole and now that we were apart…

I couldn't allow myself to think about that man. He was more dangerous than anyone I had ever been with.

"Jessica! What the Hell are you doing down there? Fuck! Are you fucking crazy?" I looked up and saw Embry. He was quick to climb down and save me. I let him feel like a hero and lay helpless, because frankly I couldn't move.

The memories of all the unfortunate events in my life left me helpless. I knew I was crying even though the rain was washing the tears away. I felt Embry's warm embrace wrap around me and I closed my eyes and leaned into it.

Before I knew what was happening I was in Emily's house. I heard talking around me, but I completely ignored it.

I felt something soft; it must have been the couch, against my back. I closed my eyes again and let sleep take me over.

XXXXXX

I scrunched my face up and looked up into the soft light that was on. The surroundings weren't familiar to me. I immediately sat up and ran to the door. I felt someone grab my shoulder as I tried to escape. I twisted the person's arm and heard the satisfying scream. I then tripped them with my leg and flipped them over in one move.

As I tried getting back to my goal, the door, I felt another person try and stop me. I screamed out in frustration. I kicked this person in the ribs and heard the crunch of his ribs go under the pressure of my red boots.

Another person went to grab me but I ducked under their arms and gave them two quick jabs to the adnominal area. The next person came at me and I grabbed their arm and smashed their knee caps with a kick to the knee and jolted his arm bone upward and until I heard the sickening sound of a bone break and then exit their flesh. I heard his ear penetrating scream at his bone hitting the air.

The door opened on the opposite side and I slid in between the legs of whoever it was. My feet hit a stone walk way and I ran as fast as I could into the woods. Once I broke through the trees I didn't stop. I kept running hurdling over rocks and tree roots. I twisted through trees and bushes.

As I I looked back for a second I saw nothing; however, when I turned around I saw someone I never thought I'd see in a million years. Emmett Cullen was standing five feet from me and I was running at full speed toward him. As I tried to stop myself dirt, twigs, and leaves flew at him, but I still flew into his arms.

When we hit it the sound of thunder emanated in the forest, as well as our grunts at our impact.

The wind was knocked out of me and I clutched my stomach and took a minute to get back up. As I took deep breaths I looked over and saw that Emmett was still on the ground rolling around from our collision.

I was currently still hunched over and leaning on a tree. Before I could blink Rosalie was beside Emmett. As I studied them I noticed they hadn't aged a day since I last saw them. The rest of the Cullens came into view with Bella and the little rusted colored hair girl in tow. They looked between me and Emmett in shock.

Now Bella had changed: her brown locks had darkened, and her lips filled out just a little bit more, her skin lighter almost translucent, and her eyes matched the rest of the Cullens; that topaz color. She all in all matched the rest of the Cullens beauty. She belonged to them now and that wasn't something that was normal. And again they hadn't aged a day.

Jasper and Edward took a step toward me. I began to fill something; like a million spiders and coach roaches were crawling all over my brain. The image alone had me cringe and as I couldn't get the feeling off my brain it disturbed me and I began to scratch and bang on my head.

"Jessica, are you alright." I heard from Dr. Cullen as I bent over and rubbed my head furiously.

"God get out of my head!" I screamed as I pressed my hands between my head. Slowly the feeling went away.

I took out a big breath and sat down with my back against a tree. I looked up at the Cullens and noticed a strange exchange between Edward and Bella. He looked at Bella expectantly and then she shook her head no; confusion took over his face.

Embry, Jared, Jacob, and Paul came into view of this party. When Paul saw me he immediately wrapped me up in his arms and I accepted his warmth.

I heard in the background all of them talking but I didn't pay any attention to what they were saying. I was too freaked out today.

"Jessica why did you attack us?" I heard from Jared. I snuggled further into Paul realizing how cold I actually was as realization was coming over me.

I had been in Emily's home and the gang was just trying to help me. I felt the sobs begin as my knees gave way; Paul took the rest of my weight and scooped me up into his arms.

"I di…didn't…Know." I said in between sobs; they were beginning to hurt my chest. I took several deep breaths. "I thought I was being attacked. I didn't know where I was."

They began talking more as I just held onto Paul with all my might and felt Jared come over to plant a kiss on the top of my head. I felt myself being transferred to the equally extremely hot Embry as he walked me back. The walk was long as I realized how fast I had run through the forest.

Embry had taken me to an unfamiliar house; I guessed it was his. He had handed me some clothes and told me where the bathroom was.

I had stripped down and gotten in and felt cold water at first, but then warm water immediately took over. As the water cascaded down my body I had noticed the dirt and blood that was coming off of me. I backed up until my back hit the cold tile of the shower and I slid down till I was fetal position in the bottom.

This was why I didn't think.

That was how Embry had found me. He seemed not to care as he shut off the shower and wrapped me up in a towel. I was glad they weren't mad at me.

Before I knew it I was in a gigantic t-shirt that went mid-thigh and was put into a cozy bed. I couldn't sleep however. All I could see was blood, all I could here was screaming. So I just stared at the wall with wide eyes.

Finally sleep came when Embry came in and wrapped me up into his arms. I had clung to him and told him everything. I told him about the little boy named Jeff and all the citizens in the building, about the governor's house and his family, about the shoot-out in Miami. I told him why I came back to Forks and how I just wanted normal. And I had a feeling that by telling him I was telling everyone: Paul, Jared, Kim, and Sam. I didn't care.

I had come to care for these people over the span of two weeks. They were all my dear friends and I was sure, even with my freak accident, they still cared about me too.

I took a deep breath as I slept in Embry's arms.

When I woke up it was nine o'clock. This day had been horrible as I felt the soreness in my muscles. With every stretch and move they screamed. However, my mouth was salivating at the smell that was coming from down stairs.

I smelt steak and potatoes. So with every shaky throbbing movement I had made myself go downstairs. They smell was even stronger down here and I made my way into the small kitchen/dining room. There at the table was Kim, Jared, Embry, and Jacob. They all had smiles on their faces when they saw me.

"Damn when we called you Hercules we should have really called you the Hulk." I made a small chuckle as I made my way to the table. I took too breaths and realized that I had real friends for the first time in my life.

They then began to relive my epic freak out, but with a hint of joking aside. Apparently no one had been really hurt and everyone was already healed.

I looked up at Jacob who was sitting across from me and Embry. He looked up at me and he smiled at me.

"I can't believe you took down Emmett Cullen."

"It was just momentum." I brushed off the comment. I knew it was more than that. Then I began to have thoughts of the Cullen's.

They hadn't aged a day since high school, and that wasn't some weird freaky surgery thing. Also, the fact that everyone thought them to be gone and only the Chief was supposed to be in contact. However, it would seem that Jacob Black was still in contact with them; dating one of them. And Nessie was the biggest mystery; if I wasn't mistaken she looked like Bella Cullen and Edward. She could have been their daughter, but she was the same age as them.

There was something strange happenings in Forks and I wanted no part of it.

XXXXXXX

Those of you who didn't know this happened all in one day. Now you know what happened in Jessica's life and I hope now you've got even more questions and some of your questions were answered.


	5. Chapter 5

I woke up and this time I remembered where I was; Embry's house. I looked around the bedroom and it was a total bachelor's room. The blankets and sheets were something I would have picked out for myself, which is saying something about me.

I went to move out of the bed and felt the sharp stabs of pain all over my body. I tried to make it to the door but my knees gave way and I fell flat on the floor. I hadn't a clue what was going on with me; I had never felt this way before.

The door swung wide open and on the other side stood Jacob Black. He was looking as beautiful as ever and the man was a piece of art with an eight pack. His hair was down today and he looked just like he woke up out of bed with no shirt and long pajama pants.

He was by my side in a minute, picking me off the floor like I weighed a feather and sat me on the bed.

"You okay?" His husky voice asked me with concern dripping on every letter.

I nodded my head.

"Just in a little pain." He gave me a face; the "stop bullshitting me face." I waved my head. "Okay. In a lot of pain. Can't move well." He patted my leg softly.

"Alright let's get you downstairs. Then I'll give you some breakfast…" I wasn't too sure about taking a bachelor's breakfast. I remember Adam's idea of cooking; it hadn't gone too well. I put the dinner in his dog's bowl and the dog wouldn't touch it; I saw the dog puke once and then it eat it, pretty sure that's saying something.

"Don't give me that look. I can cook." He again picked me up and carried me down stairs to the dining room. "Waffles good?"

"Yeah, Waffles are great. I love waffles."

"Syrup or anything?" I wrinkled my nose.

"I hate syrup, just plain. I like to use my fingers." He gave me a strange look.

"You hate syrup? Who hates syrup?" He looked at me like I just said I killed JFK.

"I do! It's gross, okay." I held my head up high and looked him straight in the eye.

"Your weird, but I find it interesting. I find you interesting." He looked back from his waffle making to give me a big wolfish smile.

"Where is everyone?"

"Well Embry had to run the shop and the other's had to do some tribal things."

"Isn't Billy like Chief?"

"Yeah, he is. He's head of council and all that jazz."

"Then shouldn't you be there; being the only son of the Chief." Before I knew it he put a plate of waffles and cut up fruit in front of me and brought me apple juice.

"Yeah, well I kinda…It's really not…It's hard to explain." He put his own plate in front of him and poured syrup on his; I wrinkled my nose.

We had eaten silently after that: one because he was nervous about answering my question and two because I was just having trouble eating. Every bone in my body felt like a ton and moving anything was painful.

"So do you live here with Embry?" I asked while he took my plate away from me.

"I have a room here. I'm not here a lot though."

"Where are you?" I know I had said ignorance is bliss, but something about Jacob screamed help. And a part of me screamed to help him. I frankly felt strange standing in a kitchen/dining room in nothing but Embry's t-shirt, but a part of me said it was alright, that it was normal.

"My girlfriend's house."

"Is that why you're not going to be Chief anymore?" I felt the question slip out of my tongue before I could take it back.

It brought me back to a time where my uncle would tell me stories about Pandora's Box. I frankly remember him saying, "It was mother fucking bullshit is what it was." She was curious and opened a box that contained so many bad things. That's what this felt like. That question was a box and by asking it I had let out bad things.

He turned around quicker than I could even think possible. The emotions in his eyes took my breath away: sad, angry, regret, and confusion all swirled around in his eyes. Finally his face settled for an un namable emotion.

"You should stay out of it. What happened to ignorance is bliss attitude?"

"I find it interesting." I looked up into his eyes, "I find you interesting." I put an emphasis on you as I repeated his words from earlier and I swirled my finger around the glass in front of me.

His eyes widened at my words and he slightly stumbled back, hitting his back against the counter. I could tell he was slightly holding his breath. I didn't know what was happening in that moment between us, but it felt an awful like the incident at the bar.

I pulled myself up from the chair, even with every painful movement, and took a couple steps towards Jacob. As I took one more step toward him the trance broke and I felt my muscles scream at me. My knees began to shake again and my rib cage had given up. I was falling down and was going to end up on the floor again, so I closed my eyes for the impact. Instead of on the ground I found myself scooped up in Jacob's arms.

"Just yesterday you beat up a bunch of hard packed muscle guys, and now you're like this. Jessie what are we to do with you?" I looked up at him and saw he was shaking his head side to side, but still smiling. I smiled back at him and noticed his smile grow even wider.

"Jessie, Huh?" I smirked at the nick name; I had noticed the gang had sometimes called me that, but from him it was different. From him it felt right, almost familiar.

"Yeah, I thought I'd try it out." I nodded my head up and down.

"Sounds good."

"Well… That's good." He rubbed his hands on his head.

"Yup."

And there it was. The long awkward pause, where you're sure you want to say something but not quite so sure what to say.

"Are you my babysitter today?" He intertwined his fingers together and shifted his face down so I couldn't see it. He was about to tell a lie.

"We were worried you might be hurt." I'd accept the lie.

"Well I'm feeling…."

"Don't say fine, because fine people don't fall when they are trying to walk."

"You know what…" I went to raise my hand in the air but I was stopped by the amount of pain that came out of just a small emotion. My body felt like it was on fire and the only thing I can think of was water. "Take me to the beach." I slowly turned my neck and saw the pity in Jacob's eyes.

"Again you can't walk. What am I supposed to carry you around like a goddess?" I looked him square in the eye.

"Never let my feet touch the ground."

"Alright."

We reached the rocky shores of first beach and breathing in the salty ocean air soothed my body. The air went over my body like a gentle massage. I took in a deep breath.

"Strange… I felt your body just relax." I heard Jacob say. He had stayed true to his word and never let my feet touch the ground and gave me a piggy back ride all the way to first beach.

"Yeah. Let's get closer to the ocean. I wanna put my feet in."

"It's cold, you shouldn't put your feet in." I turned around and gave him a dirty look.

"No one tells me what to do." I continued toward the water and kicked my shoes and socks off. Every step was painful until I got to the water.

It wasn't cold like Jacob said it would be; however, it was soothing. The energy in the water felt like it went up my leg. It was almost like electricity. I felt it smooth over my sore muscles and give them breath. I tilted my head back and let out a sigh as I felt this soothing energy go over my abdominal muscles.

"What's wrong?" I vaguely heard Jacob call out to me. I was reveling in the feeling of rejuvenation. "Jessica! Jessica talk to me now!" I waved him off.

"I'm fine." I said as the energy went through my neck. As it swelled into my head I felt the healing power of this strange energy.

I had heard of the healing power of water and I believed in it hole heartedly, but I had never had a personal account of it till this day.

I felt it slowly resend back into the water I took two wobbly steps back. Jacobs's warm arms wrapped around my abs and caught me. I took a deep breath and rolled my neck in a circle and felt the back of my head hit Jacobs's stomach. As we stayed in the position a little too long I felt the energy we had in the bar; the feeling of utter completion.

"Ahh!" I heard Jacob scream and shy away from me and drop me.

"Ouch." I said as my ass connected to the rocky sand. I looked back and saw that Jacob was sitting down too just staring at me. "What happened?"

He lifted himself off the ground and walked toward me. He offered his hand but I stood up by myself. I in fact stretched and jumped up and down twice. I rolled my shoulders back and swung my upper body right and left. I had complete mobility.

"A trip to the sea and you are all of a sudden cured." I looked up at Jacob and saw him smiling down at me.

"I told you to let me put my feet in." I leaned toward him and pushed his shoulder. He stumbled back a bit with a shocked face. He touched the shoulder I touched.

"Not…Not many people can push me." I smiled at him. I bet not many people could push him around; he was so big.

"I'm not most people." His hand reached for me. He pushed his fingers through my hair and I looked up into his eyes.

"I know." The feeling came back and I heard him sigh. "What…"

"Jacob!" I followed where the voice came from and found Embry coming out of the woods. Jacob saw him and pulled away from me. When Embry was a few feet from us he opened his mouth and pointed back toward the woods. "Nessie said you were needed over there…" He said the sentence very awkward which meant he saw us.

"Yeah I'll go check it out." He walked toward the woods without a look behind him. I felt a very warm arm wrap around me.

Embry was smiling at me.

"Now it's my turn to hang out with you. I'm way more fun." I laughed at him as he led me toward the other end of the beach. "He's so serious. He needs to relax."

"He seemed fine to me."

"Yeah well it's hard not to smile near you." He pushed me away from him and I came back and hip bumped him. He then rewrapped his arm around me.

"So, are the Cullens still hanging around these parts?" His smile disappeared at the word Cullens and so did his arm around my shoulder.

"Yeah."

"They haven't…"

"Want to go to lunch. There's a diner… Follow me." He ran up toward the parking lot leaving me in the dust.

"…Changed since high school." I finished my sentence and ran to catch up with Embry. "You know I'm a cop. I also told you my extensive history with criminals and justice. I can tell when people are lying."

The diner was right by the beach and Embry held the door for me. He ignored my statements and headed to a seat. I followed suit and slid into the seat across from him.

"Maybe you did not get a clear look at them." I watched as he placed the napkin dispenser in between himself and me; a clear sign of lying. He also did not use a contraction. "Did not" made it in his sentence instead. "I mean you saw them for what a couple seconds."

"Yeah you are right. So how was the town meeting?" He looked relieved and relaxed as I changed the subject. He finally looked me in the eyes.

"It wasn't a town meeting. What do you want to eat?" He flipped through the menu as I pushed the napkin dispenser back to its original place. I ordered the BLT while he ordered half the menu. I laughed as he wolfed down his lunch.

"So, what were you and Jacob doing?" I shrugged my shoulders.

"We were just hanging out. He makes good waffles." I said as I put a French fry in my mouth.

"Yeah he does. I guess you'll be back to work tomorrow."

"I'm excited about it. It's what I do best."

I ate the rest of my lunch with Embry but I couldn't stop staring into the woods. I knew what I was looking for but I couldn't bring myself to say it.

I was dropped off at the front of my cabin after having a full day with Embry. He took me back to see the shop and I just sat and watched him fix cars and made fun of him.

I walked into the cabin and found everything the way it was when I left. I went into the shower and tried to get all the dirt, sand, and oil off of me. I knew it would never get outa my clothes. I put on a t-shirt and white shorts when I got out and was about to turn on the T.V. when I heard a knock on the door.

I looked through the peep hole and saw Jacob standing on my front porch. He had his hands in his pockets and he seemed to be shuffling his feet. He almost looked like he didn't know what he was doing there.

I opened the door and saw the sear look of panic in his eyes.

"I…" he was completely un-prepared for me to open the door. "I don't know why I'm here." I could see how young he was from that statement.

I smiled up at him.

"Me either, but I would like to know."

"I drove my bike here. Nessie doesn't really like it, but ummm… Wanna go to Port Angeles with me? We could grab a bite to eat and then play some pool at the bar there. Maybe go see a movie? That movie with that chick from the Hunger Games is playing there."

"What is this?" I leaned against the door waiting for an answer. I saw fear brighten up his eyes, The fear of the unknown.

"I… We… Friends…dinner and stuff… You know?" I laughed out right in his face.

"That's a good answer." I waved my hand as a signal for him to come in all the while still laughing at him. "Let me go put on some clothes." I jogged in my room and grabbed some jeans to throw on. I grabbed my leather jacket of the chair and grabbed my wallet and keys and walked out the door with Jacob in tow.

"So, what made you think of dinner and stuff?" We went out front to his bike where he threw a helmet at me.

"Like every movie on the face of this planet." He swung his leg over the bike, "Hop on."

I jumped on to the back of his bike and he sped away.

It took less time than it normally did to get to Port Angeles and to a diner. It had been the second one this day. Jacob held the door open for me as I took the helmet off. There was a pretty blonde waitress who seated us. I slide into my side of the booth.

"Does your girlfriend know you're out with me?" I picked the menu up and started looking through it for what I want.

"Yes she does." I looked up and saw complete honesty in his face. "I told her we were doing dinner and stuff."

"Why?"

"I just…" he seemed to wait and try to form a sentence. Surely he must have felt it too. If he was out here he must have felt it too. I was too wrapped up in my thinking that I didn't feel his hand on top of mine until he was squeezing my hand. "I know you feel it too. I'm supposed to be complete with Nessie. She's my m… girlfriend. However, when I touch you sometimes…"

I watched him fight for the right words to say. He pulled his hand away and ran his fingers through his hair.

"You're Embry's friend. We should be friends. I want to be friends." He chuckled, "I also want to keep you around just in case the feeling comes back. It's a very nice feeling."

"Have you explained it to anyone?"

"Yeah, everyone. They all looked at me strangely." He laughed again.

"So the Cullens are still around?"

"Yeah, you saw them." He looked into my eyes and he looked like he already knew my questions and he was prepared to lie through them.

"They haven't changed much since high school."

"That's not a question." He tilted his head.

"I never said I was just going to ask questions." I looked up into his eyes, "Besides you'd just lie like Embry. So, I made a statement of what I saw."

I saw the waitress come back.

"So, what did you decided on." she looked exclusively at Jacob and just like Embry he ordered half the menu.

"Burger and vanilla milkshake." I put my menu on top of Jacob's and she took them and walked away. "I see you have an admirer."

He waved it off.

"That's nothing really. I had a girl practically strip in front of me once." I laughed out right.

"You're joking right?" He shook his head.

"Wouldn't take the hint that I wasn't available."

"So women just pathetically throw themselves at you?" I leaned in toward him.

"Pretty much."

"So how did you end up with Nessie?"

"Really the moment I saw her."

"And she's just okay with you coming out with me like this?"

"NO, but she wasn't going to stop me from getting answers."

"Well I don't have any." He leaned forward and grabbed my hand with his. He rubbed his thumb on the back of my hand and a shiver went up my back. I looked up into his eyes and waited for the feeling to rush over me. We stayed like that for several minutes.

"Here's your food!" A fake perky voice interrupted a very intimate moment that shouldn't have happened. We pulled apart faster than humanly possible.

As the women put my plate of food in front of me I cast a quick glance at Jacob and saw him blushing slightly from our interaction. I yelled at myself mentally. Did I really want to be involved in this man's drama, with his life? Was I a glutton for punishment?

The answer to that was yes, but didn't I come to Forks to heal? Instead I headed right into a situation that wouldn't end well for me.

"What are you thinking about?" I looked into his eyes.

"How does Bella fit into your love triangle?" I picked up a French fry and dipped it into some ketchup. I saw him stiffen and take a deep breath.

"I loved her." It was a simple statement; however, the statement wasn't correct. It was a complete lie. I remember them riding off the school campus on the back of his motorcycle while Alice was screaming bloody murder in the cafeteria. I remember the time he came and saw her at school. Everyone watched as him and Edward almost got into it. The way his eyes lit up when he saw her.

"Loved or love?" I took a glance at him again. His long hair, his dark eyes and skin.

It's funny how I've only ever had a couple run ins with him and now we seemed to have a connection. I wonder if the feeling would have been there if we had just talked back then. Why hadn't we felt the need to be near each other? Granted we were both having epic battles trying to keep the people we were in love with…

Then I remembered we hadn't really had face time like we did now. Now it seemed my life was wrapped up with half of his life.

A slow smile came upon his face at my question.

"You never forget your first love." He looked me right in the eye with a pointed look, "Surely you know that Jessie."

The knife that was perpetually in my gut twist at the thought of Mike. Jacob could read me like an open book. I placed my arms over my chest as nervousness built up in me. I had never known anyone who could push past my defenses and meet me punch for punch.

"Yeah that's true."

"Lots of gossip going around the small town of Forks. Word on the street is you gave up a position in the Memory Matrons after Lauren what's her face stuck her neck out for you. Now it's going around your planning to take a shot for Mike "The Golden Boy"." He slightly laughed at the situation.

"Exactly. I'm a home wrecking whore." I finished the last bite of my burger. I looked down at my plate and hadn't noticed I had eaten all of it. I slightly pouted that there was no more.

"Mike Newton." His nose wrinkled at the name. "I went to the movies with him once…"

"Oh yeah. Everyone was sick. I was supposed to go to that." I frowned at the memory of how happy Mike was when everyone cancelled and at last I had cancelled. He thought it was going to be just him and Bella. He had even preferred her when she was basically cationic and looked like a zombie. He told me the next day that he botched up the date and some souped up Native American had tagged along.

That souped up Native American was sitting across from me right now.

"I'm always around her because of Nessie and there's a part of me…" He looked down and grabbed the ketchup bottle and put ketchup on his third burger. "That wants to know what life would be like if we had been together. For some reason I can't not think about it. She was the girl I chose. She IS the girl I fought so hard to be with. However, she chose someone else and as a result to that Nessie came along."

"I love Nessie more than anything, but… But I can't escape the love I have for Bella. Some days I fight it so hard. Some days I even hate her for it and find nothing but disgust for what she has become, but then I see HER: The girl that made me do my homework, the girl who brought me two motorcycles to fix, the girl who would make me eat dinner before dessert. The girl I love so much. I just can't let it go and how am I supposed to if I'm always around her?"

I couldn't imagine what it would be like to be in his shoes. I didn't have to deal with Adam and I wasn't going to put myself in a situation that would make me see Mike every day. I opened my mouth to speak but Jacob continued talking.

"Nessie is like beautiful music in my ears, distracting me from what's hurts; however, the song has lyrics that also reminds me of the past."

"Why don't you just…"

"Leave! I tried and it was the worst weeks of my life." I scrunched my face at him. Why was it so horrible? It seemed like it was painful to be away from her.

I placed my hand over his to console him but that wonderful feeling came back. When I looked into his eyes I felt his pain over the situation. I saw the hurt in his eyes and I was pretty sure he could see the pain in mine. But I felt his soul connect to mine or maybe I was just crazy.

He pulled his hand away from mine.

"Every time that feeling comes I've got this pain. Like it's reminding me…"

"Of Nessie." I pondered over what he just said while he paid for the meal. "It's almost as if your pull to Nessie is supernatural." I saw a smile pull across his lips as he helped me up from the booth.

He placed the helmet over my head and walked out of the diner.

"Well there are stranger things than my pull to Nessie."

_**XXXXXXX**_

_**Her readers!**_

_**I've recently moved and there have been other problems, like my epic writers block. So I'm very sorry I waited until now to update but something just inspired me. I would love it if you would just take a few seconds to review. Just a good job would work for me. I just don't know if any of you like it or not and it's hard to continue writing anything when I don't have any support.**_

_**I would love you guys to say what you would like to happen or what you would think will happen. I've put clues in the story, but I don't know if any of you picked up on them yet.**_

_**Also, it's been awhile so I hope that Jessica is still the bad ass I've been trying to make her. I miss you guys and I hope the faithful fans I had are still out there to pick the story back up.**_

_**Love you guys: ask quetion, tell me you opinion, and review!**_


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